On Wednesday,May 6,2026,a delegation from the Office of the President, Reparations led by the Special Envoy for Reparations, H.E Ekwow Spio-Garbrah,paid a courtesy call on the French Ambassador to Ghana,H.E. Diarra Dime-Labille at her residence in Accra.
The meeting formed part of ongoing collaborative efforts aimed at advancing the reparations agenda and strengthening bilateral cooperation between Ghana and France on issues of mutual interest.
The French delegation led by H.E. Diarra Dime Labille , Ambassador includes Madam Christine Battesti, The political Counsellor and Mr. Rafael Pont,The First Councellor at the French Embassy.
In her remarks,H.E Labille warmly welcomed the delegation and expressed appreciation for the meeting,noting that such engagements were both timely and necessary,she emphasized the importance of identifying areas of collaboration that would benefit both parties and further deepen diplomatic relations.
The engagement provided an opportunity for the Special Envoy for Reparations H.E Spio-Garbrah to brief the French mission on the mandate and activities of the Office of the Presidential Special Envoy for Reparations,emphasizing its commitment to advancing the reparations agenda through diplomacy, advocacy,and international collaboration.
He also used the opportunity to talk about the high level next steps conference happening on the 17th to the 19th of June 2026,under the auspices of the President of the republic of Ghana and African Union Champion for Reparations H.E John Dramani Mahama on reparatory justice.
The conference he said,is a strategic follow-up to the adoption of the United Nations General Assembly Resolution which declared the slave trade and slavery of Africans as the Gravest crime against Humanity. The Conference is bringing together Heads of State and Government,Ministers of Foreign Affairs,Academias,Researchers,Members of global coalition,Experts on reparatory justice,Etc.
H.E Spio-Garbrah went ahead to note that reparations takes various forms and this extend beyond financial compensation,he explained that reparatory justice also include the return of looted cultural artifacts and cultural heritage,as well as formal apologies from former colonial powers.
Both teams reviewed key takeaways from recent discussions between the President of Ghana, H.E. John Dramani Mahama, and the President of France, H.E. Emmanuel Macroon, and jointly identified priority areas for collaboration to advance the reparations.
The meeting concluded with a mutual commitment to sustain dialogue and practical cooperation ahead of the June conference and beyond.
