The 56 nations of the Commonwealth have agreed to initiate a formal debate on reparations for the slave trade and other colonial injustices during their summit (CHOGM) held in Samoa this Saturday.
The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) takes place every two years, with each of the Commonwealth’s 56 member states rotating as host. This year’s summit began on Monday in Samoa’s capital, Apia, and concluded on Saturday. The previous CHOGM was hosted by Rwanda in 2022.
Representatives from all 56 countries, most of which were part of the British Empire, attended the summit. However, some leaders, including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, opted to attend the BRICS summit in Russia instead. India’s Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Kiren Rijiju, attended CHOGM in Modi’s place.
Climate change on the agenda
Climate change was a central topic at this year’s summit, with leaders working on the Commonwealth Ocean Declaration aimed at protecting global water bodies. Countries also discussed commitments to meeting climate finance targets.
According to the final declaration, “most member states” share “common historical experiences” of the “abhorrent” transatlantic slave trade and slavery itself, which had “lasting effects” on the populations involved.
The document also condemned “blackbirding”—the kidnapping of indigenous people from South Pacific islands to labor under British colonial rule, as seen in places like Fiji, Samoa, and Australia.
The declaration noted that Commonwealth leaders heard “calls for restorative justice discussions” related to the slave trade and agreed it was “time for a serious, realistic, and respectful conversation” about building “a shared future based on equality.” It emphasizes that the leaders will actively support these discussions.
British government resists calls for reparations
The Commonwealth leaders’ decision went against the position of the British government, which had declared that compensation should not be included in the final declaration.
Shortly before the summit, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer had announced that compensation would be excluded from the meeting’s agenda. However, speaking after the summit, Starmer acknowledged the “need for discussions” on the topic, while clarifying that “none of the discussions are about money” and that Britain’s position was “very clear” on this issue.
A government spokesperson reiterated Britain’s stance against reparations, including “non-financial” forms of “restorative justice,” stating that the UK would not accept any form of compensation.
The Starmer government ultimately prevented a separate declaration on restorative justice, which some Commonwealth nations had advocated.
Supporters of restorative justice argue it could take various forms, including educational programs, debt relief, and other forms of economic support.
King Charles III and Starmer address the issue
King Charles III sought to soften the British stance, acknowledging Britain’s “painful history” and emphasizing that while “no one can change the past,” there is always the potential to “learn from it” to guide the future.
Prime Minister Starmer also emphasized the importance of assisting Commonwealth nations in accessing climate finance, while affirming that the summit’s priority was addressing climate resilience.
British academic Michael Banner, Principal of Trinity College, Cambridge, has estimated that Britain’s historical debt to the Caribbean due to the slave trade alone could exceed £200 billion.
Asked about the shape of post-summit discussions, outgoing Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland remarked that the Commonwealth would address the issue with the same careful approach it uses for other sensitive matters.
Caribbean nations propose a reparations plan
Caribbean leaders proposed a 10-point reparations plan during the summit, seeking to include a separate section on restorative justice in the final communiqué. The plan, advocated by Caricom—a coalition of 21 Caribbean nations—included calls for a formal apology, debt cancellation, technology transfers, support for public health initiatives, and the eradication of illiteracy.
Bahamian Prime Minister Philip Davis voiced strong support, stating that it was time for the Commonwealth to seek “justice” for the brutal legacy of slavery.
The legacy of the British slave trade
For over three centuries, between the 15th and 19th centuries, the British Empire was heavily involved in the slave trade. At least 12.5 million Africans were kidnapped and forced onto European and American ships, transported across the Atlantic, and sold as slaves in the Americas.
According to the British Parliament website, Britain’s involvement began in 1562, and by the 1730s, it was the largest slave-trading nation. British ships carried over three million Africans, primarily to Britain’s North American and Caribbean colonies.
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