Grenadian Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell has called on former colonial powers to formally apologize and provide compensation for their role in the transatlantic slave trade.
Speaking at the 48th Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Heads of Government meeting in Barbados on Thursday, Mitchell addressed European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, emphasizing the need for reparations.
“I don’t mean to be impolite,” Mitchell said, turning to von der Leyen. “But I will say it to you: the issue of reparations is an issue we will take up with you.”
He stressed that slavery must be recognized as a crime against humanity, adding that an apology and appropriate compensation were necessary to ensure such atrocities never happen again.
Von der Leyen acknowledged slavery as a crime against humanity but did not address reparations directly. “The dignity and universal rights of every single human being are untouchable and must be defended by all means,” she stated.
From the 15th to 19th centuries, at least 12.5 million Africans were forcibly taken, transported by European merchants, and sold into slavery. The push for reparations has gained traction globally, particularly among CARICOM and the African Union (AU).
CARICOM has developed a reparation plan that includes demands for technology transfers and investments in health and education. Meanwhile, the AU is drafting its own framework.
In 2023, the European Union and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) acknowledged the “untold suffering” caused by slavery, referencing CARICOM’s reparations initiative in their joint summit statement.
