Historian and University of Namibia lecturer Shampapi Shiremo has praised Ghana for spearheading a United Nations General Assembly resolution that declares the transatlantic slave trade the gravest crime against humanity.

The landmark recognition, Shiremo said, opens doors for dialogue on apologies, reparations, and reconciliation from victimised Africans. "Ghana must be applauded for taking up this responsibility," he noted.

For centuries, the trade left an indelible scar on Africa, disrupting societies, dehumanising people, and trampling human rights. Resistance from perpetrator nations delayed acknowledgement, but the UN has now agreed to the call.

Shiremo emphasised that the crime's impacts persist today, with Africa yet to fully recover from the societal devastation.