Ghana’s Ambassador to the United States, Victor Smith, says he was summoned to the US State Department to explain and defend President John Dramani Mahama’s comments on reparations for the transatlantic slave trade.
Speaking on Channel One TV on November 2, 2026, Mr Smith said the meeting followed objections from the US administration to aspects of the President’s speech at the United Nations.
He said a panel led by the US Deputy Secretary of State questioned him about the remarks after the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution on March 25, 2026, declaring the transatlantic slave trade the gravest crime against humanity.
The resolution followed calls by President Mahama for reparations over the enslavement of Africans and the colonisation of the continent, which he said had resulted in the loss of lives, natural resources and cultural artefacts.
“There was a reaction here on the reparation bit… On the reparation issue that I can comment on, after he got the votes at the Assembly for the resolution, there was a reaction from the State Department.
“I was summoned to the State Department because an aspect of the president's speech did not sit well with the US administration, and I went there to defend the president's statement,” he said.
The ambassador said the discussions became heated, with some officials reportedly expressing displeasure that the President had made the remarks while on American soil.
He added that he contacted President Mahama and the Foreign Affairs Minister immediately after the meeting to brief them on the discussions and the concerns raised by the US officials.
“As soon as I left, I called the president and the minister for foreign affairs to inform them. I believe the foreign minister also summoned their ambassador and also gave some bollocks,” he added.
