UN General Assembly Declares Trafficking of Enslaved Africans ‘Gravest Crime Against Humanity,’ Calls for Reparations; U.S. Votes No
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At the UN General Assembly, member states adopted a resolution declaring the trafficking of enslaved Africans "the gravest crime against humanity" and calling reparations "a concrete step towards remedying historical wrongs," including urging the prompt and unhindered restitution of cultural items to their countries of origin. The measure passed 123–3 with 52 abstentions (Argentina, Israel and the United States voted no; the U.K. and all 27 EU members abstained), with U.S. deputy ambassador Dan Negrea saying Washington opposed creating a legal right to reparations for conduct not illegal at the time and objected to a perceived hierarchy among atrocity crimes—concerns echoed by U.K. and EU representatives who also warned of possible legal inaccuracies and retroactive application amid ongoing domestic debates in the U.S. over reparations.