Opposition Leader Dr. Ralph Gonsalves has been appointed to serve as a member of the Global Advisory Council on Reparatory Justice.
In a letter from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Ghana, Gonsalves, a former prime minister here, was recognised for his ‘distinguished statesmanship, long standing contribution to Caribbean integration and unwavering advocacy for reparatory justice.
‘It is my honour to to invite you to serve as a Member of the Global Advisory Council on Reparatory Justice,’ said the letter signed by Ghana’s Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, adding ‘your leadership and experience would make an invaluable contribution to the work of the Council and help strengthen the political leadership, strategic direction and international partnerships required to advance the implementation of the Resolution’.
Ghana had in June staged a two-day High-Level Consultative Conference on the Next Steps following the adoption of the United Nations General Assembly Resolution on the Trafficking of Enslaves Africans and Racialised Chattel Enslavement of Africans.
That conference brought together several heads of states, eminent jurists, scholars and representatives of regional and international organisations among others to consider the measures required to advance the implementation of the Resolution.
In a brief statement, Gonsalves said he is ‘deeply honored’ to be invited to serve on the Global Council and expressed his ‘gratitude as well to the government and people of the Republic of Ghana for their leadership in this struggle’.
Ghana, which is serving as the Secretariat for the Council said it will ‘communicate further details regarding the programme of work, terms of reference. Modalities of engagement and the inaugural meeting in due course’.