Caribbean leader tells EU chief: Apologise and pay reparations for slavery
The call for apologies and reparations from former colonial powers is a long-standing demand from the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the African Union, with the Grenadian Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell explicitly stating that compensation is owed for the historic enslavement of Africans. The issue of reparations has been gaining momentum worldwide, with CARICOM having its own reparation plan in place, which includes demands for technology transfers and investments to tackle health crises and illiteracy. The EU's response, while acknowledging the "untold suffering" inflicted by slavery, stops short of apologizing or committing to reparations.
- The request from Caribbean leaders highlights the ongoing need for accountability and acknowledgment of historical wrongdoing, with implications for international relations and global human rights discourse.
- How will the increasing pressure on former colonial powers to address their past wrongdoings impact the future of international cooperation and development aid in regions that were formerly colonized?