Delegates from African and Caribbean nations impacted by the transatlantic slave trade and colonialism have joined forces, demanding reparations from European countries. The Accra Reparations Conference in Ghana witnessed the establishment of a Global Reparations Fund, aiming to address the historical exploitation of Africans by Europeans without compensation and the lasting repercussions for their descendants.

Organized by the Caribbean Community (Caricom) and the African Union, the conference brought together a united front to exert pressure on former colonial powers for reparations, characterizing these demands as redress for “historical mass crimes.” Ghana’s President Nana Akufo-Addo emphasized the stifling impact of slavery on progress economically, culturally, and psychologically, highlighting the need for recognition.

Caricom’s secretary general, Carla Barnett, noted that the global movement for reparatory justice is at a crucial juncture, underscoring the importance of presenting a unified voice in the call for reparations. In September, former British Caribbean colonies announced plans to demand an apology and reparations from the British royal family and institutions involved in the transatlantic slave trade.

Despite these calls, a British Foreign Office official expressed the UK government’s opposition to the concept of reparations. The exact amount of financial compensation sought by the African diaspora nations and the nature of reparations remain undetermined.

Scholars estimate that the transatlantic chattel slave trade forcibly took at least 12 million Africans from their homelands to European colonies between the 16th and 19th centuries. A recent report suggested that Britain owes £18.6 trillion (approximately $23.2 trillion) in compensation for its role in the slave trade.

Activists argue that reparations should encompass developmental aid, the return of colonized resources, and systemic corrections to oppressive policies and laws. The push for reparations reflects a global movement seeking acknowledgment and redress for the historical injustices inflicted on African and Caribbean populations.