The head of the Commonwealth government challenges the UK over reparations for slavery

The BBC says Commonwealth heads of government are preparing to challenge the UK and agree plans to consider reparative justice for the transatlantic slave trade.

Downing Street insisted the issue was not on the agenda of the 56-nation Commonwealth summit, which begins in the Pacific island nation of Samoa on Friday.

But diplomatic sources said officials were negotiating a deal to conduct further research and start a “meaningful conversation” on an issue that has the potential to leave the UK with thousands of debts. billion pounds in compensation.

Frederick Mitchell, the foreign minister of the Bahamas, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “Once you broach the subject, it may take a while for people to care but they will.”

Reparative justice for slavery can take many forms, including financial compensation, debt relief, official apologies, educational programs, museum construction, economic assistance, and medical assistance. public health.

The current text of the summit’s draft communiqué – seen by the BBC – says: “Heads of government, note calls to discuss reparative justice in relation to transnational trade.” Atlantic on enslaved Africans and slavery… agree that the time has come for a meaningful solution, honest and respectful conversation towards building a shared future based on fairness.”

It said that heads of government would play “an active role in providing inclusive dialogue to address these harms” and that they agreed to “prioritize and facilitate further and additional research on the transatlantic trade of enslaved Africans and slavery to encourage and support the transatlantic trade.” conversation and inform a path forward.”

Text – can still be changed once Leader of the Commonwealth coming – was brought up by diplomats ahead of the summit. British officials succeeded in blocking plans to issue an entirely separate statement on the subject.

The UK did not want any language in the communiqué on reparative justice, but it must now accept it will include three full paragraphs detailing the Commonwealth’s position.

Officials of Caricom, the body representing Caribbean nations, sought to expand the issue so that it included not only the transatlantic slave trade but also the Pacific.

The draft communiqué said the majority of member states “share common historical experiences related to this abhorrent trade, property slavery, debilitation and deprivation of people.” indigenous people”.

It also directly addresses the practices known as “blackbirding,” in which Pacific islanders were tricked or kidnapped into slavery or cheap labor in colonies across the region.

Diplomats say the expectation now is that reparative justice will be central to the agenda of the next Commonwealth summit in two years’ time in the Caribbean, likely Antigua and Barbuda.

Ahead of this year’s summit, there are growing calls from Commonwealth leaders for the UK to apologize and pay reparations worth trillions of pounds for the country’s historic role in the slave trade.

A report published last year by the University of the West Indies – backed by Patrick Robinson, a judge on the International Court of Justice – concluded that the UK owes more than £18 trillion in compensation for its role in his role in slavery in 14 Caribbean countries.

Last weekend, the Prime Minister of the Bahamas, Philip Davis, used the visit of Foreign Affairs Minister Baroness Chapman to tell her that the fight for compensation was far from over.

Bahamas Foreign Minister Frederick Mitchell told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “The word is sorry, that’s the word.”

He said at the Commonwealth meeting, “it is a simple matter – it can be done, one sentence, one line.”

When asked about the amount of compensation, Mr. Mitchell said this is not just a matter of money but also “respect, admitting the past is a mistake that needs to be corrected.”

He said member states “want to start a dialogue” but “there seems to be a reluctance to even proceed with the dialogue”.

Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said the UK had heard calls for slavery reparations “loud and clear” but that the prime minister was “right” to “focus on the future”.

A UK government spokesman said it would not comment on the leak to the BBC, but added: “Compensation is not on the agenda of the meeting of the Heads of Government of the Bloc common prosperity. The government’s position has not changed – we do not pay compensation.

“We are focusing on using the summit at [the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting] to discuss the shared opportunities we can unlock across the Commonwealth – including securing further economic growth.”

It is understood that Downing Street’s position – that reparative justice is not on the agenda – although technically correct, angered some Caribbean ministers when it became clear the issue would be discussed at the summit.

BBC political editor Chris Mason said the British government’s tenor and tone had contributed to “further irritation” among some members, who may not have expected the UK to change perspective and “suddenly started spending a lot of money”.

Sir Keir Starmer arrived in Samoa late on Wednesday UK time, becoming the first sitting prime minister to visit a Pacific island nation.

Speaking to reporters en route, he said he wanted to discuss current challenges with Commonwealth leaders, especially climate change, rather than problems of the past. past.

“What they care about most is whether we can help them work with international financial institutions on the types of packages they need right now related to the challenges they are facing,” he said. ”.

“That’s where my focus will be – rather than what will lead to very long, endless discussions about past reparations.

“Slavery, of course, is abhorrent to everyone; the trade and practice, there is no question about that. But I think from my perspective… I would rather roll up my sleeves and work with them to solve the current challenges of the future than spend a lot of time on the past.”

King Charles went to Samoa for a four-day visit on Wednesday and will officially open the summit.

During his visit to Kenya last year, the King expressed his “greatest sadness and regret” for the “wrongdoings” of the colonial period, but did not issue the apology that would have required the approval of ministers.

Some non-Caribbean countries are not sympathetic to Britain’s position and want the summit to focus more on existing challenges – such as climate change, which is adversely affecting many Caribbean countries. Commonwealth, about half of which are small island states.

But Caribbean countries seem determined to continue pressing the issue.

All three candidates hoping to be elected as the next secretary-general of the Commonwealth this weekend – Ghana’s Shirley Botchwey, Lesotho’s Joshua Setipa and Gambia’s Mamadou Tangara – have made clear that they support justice. compensation.