Ghana is preparing a proposal on reparations financing that could pave the way for discussions with international financial institutions, former Trade and Industry Minister Ekow Spio-Garbrah has disclosed.

He said the proposed framework, if approved by the relevant Ghanaian authorities, would help establish how funding could be mobilised to address the historical economic and social damage suffered by African countries through slavery, colonialism and related atrocities.

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Speaking in an interview with GhanaWeb’s Mawuli Ahorlumegah in Bangkok, Thailand, on the sidelines of the 2026 IMF and World Bank Annual Meetings on Friday October 16, 2026, Spio-Garbrah said his office had prepared a draft paper on what it describes as “reparational finance”.

Spio-Garbrah, who serves as President John Dramani Mahama’s Special Envoy on Reparations, said the document was being submitted to relevant government institutions for consideration.

The initiative forms part of Ghana’s broader efforts to advance reparations discussions at the continental and international levels.

These include the Presidency, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Finance and the central bank, with other ministries expected to be involved because of the broad implications of the reparations agenda.

“My organisation is a small office. It’s just about six professionals,” he said, explaining that the team was working to establish the institutional and administrative foundations needed to advance the agenda.

He noted that the proposed financing framework was intended to contribute to discussions on establishing a global reparations fund, an initiative he said had previously been recommended by the African Union Commission.

According to him, the objective is to create an institutional framework through which countries and other willing parties could contribute resources towards reparations.

He stressed, however, that the proposal was still at the draft stage and would require technical reviews, consultations and the necessary government approvals before it could be presented to the international community.

Spio-Garbrah said the paper would first undergo scrutiny by Ghanaian authorities and financial experts, while some of its proposals could require parliamentary processes.

He added that the proposal could gain broader continental attention if Ghana’s reparations agenda receives further backing through the African Union.

President Mahama has been designated the African Union’s champion on reparations and is also leading efforts to promote reforms in international financial institutions.

Spio-Garbrah said the reparations agenda was not limited to securing financial compensation but also involved addressing the lasting effects of slavery and colonialism on African economies, institutions, culture and social development.

He argued that the economic consequences of centuries of exploitation made reparations an important development issue.

“That's why development institutions like the World Bank and IMF have to be part of the discussions,” he said.

He also acknowledged that the proposal was still at an early stage and that introducing reparational finance into the work of international financial institutions would require sustained engagement and validation of its underlying principles.

Story by Mawuli Ahorlumegah, reporting from the 2026 IMF/World Bank Annual Meetings in Thailand, Bangkok

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