EU Explanation of Vote – UN General Assembly: Action on A/80/L.48 - Declaration of the Trafficking of Enslaved Africans and Racialized Chattel Enslavement of Africans as the[...]

EU Explanation of Vote - UN General Assembly: Action on A/80/L.48 - Declaration of the Trafficking of Enslaved Africans and Racialized Chattel Enslavement of Africans as the Gravest Crime Against Humanity

25 March 2026, New York - European Union Explanation of Vote (before the vote) delivered by Ms. Gabriella Michaelidou, Deputy Permanent Representative of Cyprus to the United Nations, at the 80th Session of the UN General Assembly: Action on A/80/L.48 - Declaration of the Trafficking of Enslaved Africans and Racialized Chattel Enslavement of Africans as the Gravest Crime Against Humanity

Chair,

I have the honor to speak on behalf of the European Union and its Member States.

The Candidate Countries North Macedonia, Montenegro*, Albania*, the Republic of Moldova, Bosnia and Herzegovina*, as well as San Marino align themselves with this statement.

We welcome the African Union's initiative in advancing a dedicated resolution to one of the most heinous episodes in human history.

The transatlantic slave trade remains an unparalleled tragedy, which lasted for over three centuries and involved unspeakable atrocities, affecting millions of Africans. It cannot and should not be forgotten. At the 7^th Summit of the African Union and the European Union last November in Angola, European and African leaders jointly recognised and profoundly regretted the untold suffering inflicted on millions of people as a result of the slave trade, colonialism, and apartheid.

The EU is committed to shedding light on the history of slavery and the transatlantic slave trade, as well as their causes, consequences and lasting impacts. It is our collective responsibility to learn from the wrongs of the past. We have to redress their enduring effects by removing barriers and tackling disparities that still hinder equal participation in society by the descendants of those affected.

The EU is actively engaged across all relevant fora, including via the EU-AU Human Rights Dialogue process, to make progress on this issue. We acknowledge that further efforts are necessary and we stand ready to continue working with partners in this direction. The recently adopted EU Anti-Racism Strategy underscores the continued relevance of tackling the legacy of slavery, making this an important element of the fight against structural racism.

This resolution was presented as a forward-looking and unifying process. It offered a meaningful opportunity to foster unity among UN Member States to jointly address an issue of paramount importance for all. Regrettably, we were not able to reach a consensual outcome in the short time frame allocated to negotiations. We also regret that the proponents of the resolution did not reconsider their approach, despite our repeated calls for more openness to constructive comments.

Chair,

We regret that our key concerns were not adequately reflected in the final text. We are concerned that this will send a wrong message on an issue where we do not fundamentally disagree.

We were prepared to support a text that emphasises the scale of the atrocity of the transatlantic slave trade, the importance of remembrance, and the need to continue combating slavery in its contemporary forms. Instead, the text before us raises a number of legal and factual concerns that we cannot overlook.

First, the use of superlatives in the context of crimes against humanity is not legally accurate, such as the use of "gravest" in the title and throughout the text, which implies a hierarchy among atrocity crimes, when no legal hierarchy between crimes against humanity exists. It risks undermining the harm suffered by all victims of these crimes and lacks legal clarity crucial for ensuring accountability. We firmly reject introducing ambiguity in this respect.

Second, the selective inclusion of lengthy, historical, and contentious references to regional jurisprudence and selective and unbalanced interpretation of historical events - such as in Preambular Paragraphs 21 and 23 - is at odds with accepted UN practice, as well as the stated universal and forward looking objective of this initiative. It risks creating divisions when unity is both necessary and achievable. The role of the General Assembly is not to substitute itself to the academic debate amongst historians.

Third, we are also concerned by certain legal references and assertions that are either inaccurate or inconsistent with international law. This includes suggestions of a retroactive application of international rules which was non-existent at the time and claims for reparations, which is incompatible with established principles of international law. The principle of non-retroactivity, a fundamental cornerstone of the international legal order, must be strictly upheld. References to claims for reparations also lack a sound legal basis. Any framework for reparatory justice must be grounded in existing multilateral instruments.

For these reasons, the Member States of the European Union regret that they are not in a position to support resolution A/80/L.48.

Repeating our strongest condemnation of the slave trade and reaffirming our genuine commitment that we have demonstrated through concrete domestic and international action, we are compelled to ABSTAIN, solely out of profound respect for the subject matter and its complexities.

This abstention should not be interpreted as leniency toward these abhorrent practices, nor in any case as acceptance of or acquiescence to the legal formulations in the text. We reserve our full position on these matters in all current and future relevant processes.

I thank you, Chair.

1. ^North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.