Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama on Monday declared that the global reparations movement has reached “a defining moment”, arguing that the international community must move beyond acknowledging the atrocities of slavery and colonialism to taking meaningful steps to address their lasting consequences.

Addressing a Special High-Level Reparations Dialogue at The University of the West Indies (UWI) Regional Headquarters on Tuesday, Mahama said Africa and the Caribbean, bound by a shared history of enslavement and colonial exploitation, must work together to advance the cause of reparatory justice.

The dialogue, hosted by The UWI in partnership with the Office of the Prime Minister, also featured UWI Vice Chancellor Sir Hilary Beckles, historian and chairman of the CARICOM Reparations Commission.