Caribbean leaders to hold talks in the UK on slavery reparations
A delegation from the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Reparations Commission is set to visit the United Kingdom this week to discuss slavery reparations. The group will meet British officials and politicians to address the historical injustices of slavery and colonialism, and the lasting effects these events continue to have on Caribbean societies.
From the 15th to the 19th centuries, more than 12.5 million Africans were kidnapped and taken by European ships across the Atlantic to be sold into slavery. Many reparations advocates say that the impact of this history is still visible today, especially in the form of racism, unequal development, and social inequality.
CARICOM, which includes 15member states such as Barbados, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, and Belize, has become one of the strongest voices pushing for reparations. The African Union (AU) is also developing its own reparations plan.
CARICOM’s plan calls for a full apology, debt cancellation, education programmes, and financial compensation from European countries involved in the slave trade.
However, there has also been resistance. Some European leaders argue that today’s governments should not be held responsible for the actions of centuries past. Critics say discussions on reparations could become endless and divisive.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer previously said he preferred to “look forward” rather than engage in long debates about past wrongs.
Still, the conversation around reparations has grown stronger. At last year’s Commonwealth summit in Samoa, leaders of the 56-nation group, headed by King Charles, agreed that the time had come to begin discussions on slavery’s legacy.
The CARICOM delegation will be in the UK from November 17 to 20. According to a media advisory, the goal of the visit is to strengthen partnerships and promote public education on reparations. The group hopes to raise awareness both in the Caribbean and the UK about the need for action.
A 2025 poll by The Repair Campaign showed how little many people in Britain know about the country’s role in the slave trade. The survey found that 85% of respondents did not know that Britain forcibly transported more than 3 million Africans to the Caribbean.
