{"id":16948,"date":"2026-05-29T06:50:06","date_gmt":"2026-05-29T06:50:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.fishfmonline.com\/?p=16948"},"modified":"2026-05-29T06:50:06","modified_gmt":"2026-05-29T06:50:06","slug":"pope-leo-xivs-slave-trade-apology-triggers-fresh-global-justice-bid-government-says","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.fishfmonline.com\/?p=16948","title":{"rendered":"Pope Leo XIV\u2019s Slave Trade Apology Triggers Fresh Global Justice Bid, Government Says"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Government has welcomed what it describes as a historic apology by His Holiness Pope Leo XIV over the role of the Holy See in the transatlantic slave trade.<\/p>\n<div id=\"mjo-article-left_rectangle_mid\" data-google-query-id=\"COXbrNXz3ZQDFWzMEQgdyBg1bg\">\n<div id=\"google_ads_iframe_\/1002554\/Myjoyonline\/mjo-article-left_rectangle_mid_0__container__\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>It says the statement could mark a major turning point in the global campaign for historical justice and reconciliation.<\/p>\n<p>In a statement issued by the Presidency on Thursday, government said the Pope\u2019s acknowledgement of the Church\u2019s role in \u201clegitimising and sustaining the enslavement of Africans and the transatlantic slave trade\u201d represents \u201can act of moral courage\u201d and an important contribution to the global pursuit of truth, dignity and justice.<\/p>\n<p>The statement said Ghana recognises Pope Leo XIV\u2019s longstanding commitment to \u201cservice, compassion and the dignity of the human person,\u201d adding that he has consistently promoted \u201csocial justice, solidarity with the vulnerable, dialogue across communities and moral responsibility.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>According to government, the Pope\u2019s apology comes at a critical time as the international community deepens discussions around the historical consequences of slavery and colonialism.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFor five centuries, millions of Africans and people of African descent endured unimaginable suffering and dehumanisation through systems of racialised chattel enslavement whose effects continue to shape societies and communities across the world today,\u201d the statement said.<\/p>\n<p>It stressed that honest recognition of that painful history remains essential for healing and reconciliation.<\/p>\n<div class=\"autors-widget\">\n<div>\n<div>\n<div id=\"autors-container-0\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>The Presidency noted that President John Mahama considers the acknowledgement \u201cparticularly significant,\u201d saying it reinforces the growing international understanding that confronting historical injustices requires \u201ctruth-telling and moral responsibility.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Government also linked the Pope\u2019s statement to the recent adoption of United Nations Resolution A\/RES\/80\/250, which declared the trafficking and enslavement of Africans as \u201cthe gravest crime against humanity.\u201d<\/p>\n<div id=\"in-article1\" data-google-query-id=\"COzbrNXz3ZQDFWzMEQgdyBg1bg\">\n<div id=\"google_ads_iframe_\/1002554\/Myjoyonline\/mjo-article-left_rectangle_mid2_0__container__\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>According to the statement, the resolution marked \u201can important moment\u201d in global efforts to preserve historical memory and sustain international dialogue on justice, dignity and equality for Africans and people of African descent.<\/p>\n<p>The Presidency revealed that during negotiations on the resolution, debates emerged over historical references tied to the Church\u2019s involvement in the slave trade, including Papal Bulls.<\/p>\n<p>Against that backdrop, government described Pope Leo XIV\u2019s apology as \u201cparticularly significant and refreshing,\u201d saying it demonstrates a willingness \u201cto confront difficult historical truths in the interest of justice, understanding and reconciliation.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Ghana said it remains deeply connected to the history and legacy of the slave trade, noting that the country\u2019s forts and castles remain enduring reminders of one of humanity\u2019s darkest chapters.<\/p>\n<div id=\"in-article2\" data-google-query-id=\"CO3brNXz3ZQDFWzMEQgdyBg1bg\">\n<div id=\"google_ads_iframe_\/1002554\/Myjoyonline\/mjo-article-left_rectangle_mid3_0__container__\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>The statement added that Ghana is committed to working with international partners, faith communities, civil society organisations and global stakeholders to advance historical justice, remembrance and the restoration of human dignity.<\/p>\n<p>Government also announced that Ghana will host a High-Level Consultative Conference in Accra from June 17 to 19, 2026, under the leadership of President Mahama, to discuss next steps following the UN resolution and sustain global engagement on historical justice and remembrance.<\/p>\n<p>President Mahama, according to the statement, expressed appreciation to Pope Leo XIV \u201cfor this significant step\u201d and reaffirmed Ghana\u2019s commitment to promoting \u201ctruth, healing and a shared commitment to humanity.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Disclaimer: The content provided on Fish FM Online is for informational and entertainment purposes only. While we strive for accuracy, we do not guarantee the completeness, reliability, or timeliness of the information presented. Fish FM Online and its affiliates are not responsible for any errors or omissions, nor for any decisions made based on the content available on our platform.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Government has welcomed what it describes as a historic apology by His Holiness Pope Leo XIV over the role of the Holy See in the transatlantic slave trade. It says the statement could mark a major turning point in the global campaign for historical justice and reconciliation. In a statement issued by the Presidency on [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":123457,"featured_media":16949,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[41],"tags":[3477],"class_list":["post-16948","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-general-news","tag-pope-leo-xiv"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fishfmonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16948","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fishfmonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fishfmonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fishfmonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/123457"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fishfmonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=16948"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.fishfmonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16948\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":16950,"href":"https:\/\/www.fishfmonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16948\/revisions\/16950"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fishfmonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/16949"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fishfmonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=16948"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fishfmonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=16948"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fishfmonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=16948"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}