Britain is facing growing pressure to address the issue of reparations for the transatlantic slave trade and other atrocities, as the former colonial power and many of its former colonies prepare to gather for the biennial Commonwealth heads of government meeting next month.
The Commonwealth emerged from the ashes of Britain’s empire after World War II. The vast majority of its 56 members are former British colonies.
The organization is set to choose a new secretary-general at its heads of government meeting October 21-25 in Samoa, as the term of incumbent Patricia Scotland comes to an end.
All three candidates vying for the job — all of whom are from Africa — voiced strong support for reparations at a recent event at London’s Chatham House.
Ghanaian Foreign Minister Shirley Botchwey said reparations could take various forms.
“Financial reparations is good. However, the conversation is now moving to other reparations in kind. And so, either way it's fine, but I stand for reparations,” she said.
“Whether or not the Commonwealth has a role to play will depend on the heads of government who will give the secretary-general her marching orders: that we want you involved in the conversation of reparations, we want you to put forward a common voice on behalf of all Commonwealth countries,” Botchwey added.
Joshua Setipa, a candidate from Lesotho, said the Commonwealth was the right forum to address the issue. “I support the idea of reparative justice, and I would not wait to be asked to participate,” said Setipa, a former trade minister. “More than half of the members around the table are calling for this to be addressed.”
Mamadou Tangara, Gambia’s candidate for Commonwealth secretary-general who is currently serving as the country’s foreign minister, agreed. “I am fully in support of reparatory justice. But this is a cause, a noble cause, that has to be championed by member states. And the Commonwealth can use its convenient power to facilitate the dialogue and make it happen,” he said.
At the last Commonwealth summit, in Rwanda in 2022, Britain’s then-Prince Charles — who is now king and therefore head of the Commonwealth — spoke of his deep sorrow over the slave trade.
“I want to acknowledge that the roots of our contemporary association run deep into the most painful period of our history,” Charles told delegates in Kigali. “I cannot describe the depths of my personal sorrow at the suffering of so many as I continue to deepen my own understanding of slavery's enduring impact.”
Britain, however, has rejected any form of reparations.
The issue can no longer be dismissed, said Kingsley Abbott, director of the Institute of Commonwealth Studies at the University of London.
“In my view, sitting here in 2024, the fact of transatlantic slavery, the harm it caused, the harm it continues to cause, and the need for this to be addressed in some way meaningfully, can't really be ignored any longer. And these expressions of support from the candidates I think mirror the fact that the global movement for reparations is growing,” Abbott said.
“Reparations doesn't just equal monetary compensation under international law. It can take many forms, like restitution and compensation and rehabilitation and satisfaction, things like meaningful apologies, public acknowledgement, memorialization and things like that,” Abbott told VOA.
“And so, therefore, of course the Commonwealth has a role to play. What the Commonwealth can benefit from is the tremendous amount of very important, thoughtful work that's been done by people, including from Commonwealth states, on this very issue.”
Former British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak argued in 2023 that “trying to unpick our history is not the right way forward.” His successor, Keir Starmer, is yet to make his position on reparations clear.
The pressure will likely grow, as officials from Britain and many of its former colonies gather, as equals, at the Commonwealth summit next month.
