Ghana Reaffirms Commitment to Diaspora Partnerships and Reparations at 2025 Diaspora Summit

Vice President Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang has reiterated Ghana’s commitment to historical justice, diaspora partnership, and inclusive national development at the closing ceremony of the 2025 Diaspora Summit.

Addressing participants at the two-day summit, the Vice President said Ghana has once again chosen to place history, responsibility, and partnership at the heart of its development agenda. She noted that the summit created space for participants to celebrate resilience, confront painful histories, and recognise the enduring contributions of the African Diaspora to Ghana’s social, cultural, economic, and political identity.

Professor Opoku-Agyemang highlighted President John Dramani Mahama’s role as the African Union’s Champion for Reparations, describing his leadership as central to advancing a historic programme grounded in dignity, justice, accountability, and remembrance. She stressed that reparations go beyond symbolism, focusing on recognition of past wrongs and responsibility for corrective action.

The Vice President further emphasised that Ghana’s national reset cannot be achieved through rhetoric alone. According to her, meaningful progress depends on strong partnerships built on accountability, mutual respect, and long-term commitment, especially with Ghanaians in the diaspora.

Acknowledging the role of the diasporan community, she said their contributions affirm that Ghana is defined not only by geographical boundaries, but also by a shared sense of community and belonging. She noted that confidence is gradually returning to the Ghanaian economy and stability is improving, but sustaining these gains requires collective effort from citizens at home and abroad.

Drawing from her academic research, Professor Opoku-Agyemang rejected narratives that portray Africans as passive victims during the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade. She explained that historical records reveal stories of resistance, defiance, sacrifice, and courage, underscoring the agency and resilience of African people.

“The past is not a closed chapter,” she said, adding that remembrance must inspire action, unity, and a shared responsibility to build a better future.

She concluded by affirming Ghana’s readiness to play her part on the global stage and extended an open invitation to the wider African family to partner in the country’s development.

“May God bless our homeland and bless us all,” she said.