Commonwealth Leaders to Challenge UK on Slavery reparations as the summit of 56 Commonwealth nations begins in Samoa. Despite the UK government’s insistence that reparations are not on the agenda, diplomatic sources suggest that Commonwealth Leaders to Challenge UK on Slavery will be a central theme. Officials are pushing for an agreement to initiate research and a “meaningful conversation” about reparatory justice for the transatlantic slave trade, which could lead to the UK owing billions in reparations.
Frederick Mitchell, the foreign minister of the Bahamas, emphasized the importance of discussing the issue. The draft communique, shared with the BBC, states that heads of government recognize the need for “meaningful, truthful, and respectful” conversations about reparations. Commonwealth Leaders to Challenge UK on Slavery remains a focal point, as leaders agree to actively promote research on the transatlantic trade in enslaved Africans and the Pacific slave trade. Although the UK blocked a separate declaration on the topic, it had to accept the inclusion of significant paragraphs in the communique.
The push for reparatory justice is being spearheaded by Caricom, which represents Caribbean nations, and they have broadened the scope to include not only the Atlantic but also the Pacific slave trade. The majority of Commonwealth nations share this history, and the communique highlights the brutal effects of enslavement on indigenous peoples. The expectation is that Commonwealth Leaders to Challenge UK on Slavery will dominate discussions in future summits, particularly the next one in the Caribbean. Some Caribbean leaders are calling for reparations worth trillions of pounds from the UK, citing a report that estimates the UK owes £18 trillion for its role in slavery.
