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Commonwealth leaders are preparing to challenge the UK by advancing plans to explore reparatory justice for the transatlantic slave trade, according to sources. Despite the UK’s stance that the issue is not on the official agenda for the upcoming summit in Samoa, diplomatic insiders have revealed that discussions are underway to initiate meaningful research and dialogue on reparations, potentially leaving the UK facing significant financial demands.
Frederick Mitchell, the Bahamas’ foreign minister, stated that while the topic might take time to gain widespread support, the conversation is inevitable. Reparatory justice could encompass financial compensation, debt relief, public apologies, educational programs, and other initiatives addressing the historical legacy of slavery.
A draft summit communiqué suggests that Commonwealth heads of government are set to agree on further research and a commitment to addressing the transatlantic trade in enslaved Africans. The UK has attempted to resist language on reparations, but the draft currently includes substantial sections detailing the Commonwealth’s stance.
While the UK government maintains that reparations are not up for discussion, many Caribbean nations, supported by Caricom, are broadening the issue to include both the Atlantic and Pacific slave trades. These countries are expected to push for reparations to be a central topic at the next Commonwealth summit, likely in the Caribbean in 2026.
Growing calls for the UK to apologize and provide reparations have intensified, particularly after a University of West Indies report concluded that the UK could owe over £18 trillion in reparations to Caribbean nations alone. As the debate heats up, the UK government remains firm, focusing on present-day challenges such as climate change rather than revisiting historical injustices.
King Charles and Prime Minister Keir Starmer have arrived in Samoa for the summit, with Starmer emphasizing the need to focus on future-oriented issues like climate change, despite mounting pressure from Caribbean leaders for reparations to be addressed.
