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| Several African countries have erected memorials to the victims of slavery, such as this statue in Senegal (Image: Getty Images) |
This week, a resolution calling the transatlantic slave trade "the gravest crime against humanity" was unanimously approved by the UN General Assembly. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres praised the vote by stating that many Western nations' wealth was "built on stolen lives and stolen labor." He stated that it "was not simply forced labor," noting the "barbaric punishments that maintained control - from shackles and iron collars to flogging and sexual violence." "It was a machine designed to dehumanize men, women, and children in a large scale. The wounds are deep and frequently go unnoticed." Although the resolution, which is supported by African and Caribbean nations, is not legally binding, analysts claim that it conveys a potent message. Almaz Teffera, a senior researcher on racism at Human Rights Watch, told the BBC, "It is already a huge and significant step in terms of politics to have this debate at the UN, even when it has a more symbolic value." She suggests that it could increase the likelihood of progress in discussions regarding compensation or reparations. 52 nations, including the United Kingdom and EU member states, abstained from voting, with 123 votes in favor and three against.
It was rejected by Israel, Argentina, and the United States. According to the BBC, Dr. Erieka Bennett, who is in charge of the Diaspora African Forum in Ghana, the vote had a personal significance for people like her who were enslaved. "It signifies that I am acknowledged and that my ancestor is finally laid to rest." As an African American, I'm overwhelmed; it's very difficult to comprehend what this really means until you've been a part of what happened." Slave-affected nations have been pleading for restitution for more than a century. However, in recent years, the debate has grown more heated, particularly as a result of the formal apologies and measures of atonement announced by some nations and businesses that historically benefited from the use of African slave labor.
What is the case for reparations?
Between the 15th and 19th centuries, between 12 and 15 million men, women, and children from Africa were kidnapped and sold into slavery in the Americas. They were sent to colonies controlled by European nations like the United Kingdom, Spain, Portugal, and France. The infamous slave ships are believed to have killed two million people. The effects of centuries of exploitation are still felt to this day.
In
Brazil, the largest recipient of enslaved Africans - 4.9 million, mostly while it was a Portuguese colony - black people are twice as likely to live in poverty as whites, according to the country's official statistics body (IBGE).
Reparations are meant to compensate black people whose ancestors were forced into slavery and serve as restitution. Ghana made the motion, which calls on UN member states to think about apologizing for the slave trade and contributing to a fund for reparations.
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| Campaigners have called for descendents of slaves to receive reparation payments (Image: Getty Images) |
"It is good victory [for the reparations movement], but let's remember this is only a declaration of intent," she told the BBC.
Xosei went on to say that it was "encouraging to see African nations taking center stage in these discussions," but that grassroots action was just as important. "Hearts and minds will not be won at the UN."
"The real battle will be fought on the streets, where people are still misinformed about the history of slavery and its enduring effects on the lives of Africans and African descendants."
Is there a historical precedent for reparations?
Yes,
Germany is the most well-known reparations case. The European nation has made payments to Israel and paid Jewish victims of the
Nazi regime more than $80 billion (£60 billion) since 1952. However, to date, neither affected African, Caribbean, or Latin American nations nor their descendants have received compensation. In the 19th century, the majority of government reparations were given to slave owners rather than to those who had been enslaved. This includes the United Kingdom, where owners were paid more than $21 billion (£16 billion) in 1830s dollars after slavery was abolished.
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| This fort in Ghana was used in the slave trade. Now it is used to educate people about its horrors (Image: Getty Images) |
Even nations that have issued formal apologies for their role in slavery, like the
Netherlands in 2022, have decided against making direct financial compensation available to people whose ancestors were enslaved. Instead, a $230 million fund was established by the Dutch government to support "social initiatives and projects to address the legacy of slavery."
Dr. Celeste Martinez, a researcher who focuses on Spanish colonialism in Africa, stated, "The most important thing to understand is that nobody is trying to change the past, but to address its consequences in the present."
"Racism and inequality are still examples of slavery's legacy. If we want societies that are more fair and democratic, we must acknowledge the past.
What are the arguments against reparations?
Opposition to reparations takes place on different levels.
One of the main arguments is that people who are still alive should not be held accountable for the crimes committed by their ancestors. Some also argue that the passage of time complicates matters in terms of identifying the descendants of the victims. Many Holocaust survivors or their close relatives were still alive when previous cases, such as payments to victims, were resolved. Additionally, a legal debate exists. The US has historically refused to recognise a right to reparations because slavery was legal, and even regulated by several countries, between the 15th and 19th Centuries.
Before leading the fight to end slavery, the United Kingdom, which was one of the major slave-holding nations, has repeatedly denied making reparations. During a visit to Nigeria in November 2024, then-Foreign Secretary David Lammy stated that the concept of reparations for slave-affected former colonies "is not about the transfer of cash."
But it's telling that even Barack Obama, America's first black president, did not publicly pursue, propose, or endorse any reparations policy during his two terms in office. In an interview with activist and writer Ta-Nehisi Coates in 2016, just a few weeks before he left office, Obama said that he thought the political system of the country made reparations almost impossible to do. The designation of African enslavement as "the gravest crime against humanity" has also sparked concern among critics. At the General Assembly, Deputy US Ambassador Dan Negrea stated that Washington strongly opposed an attempt to establish a hierarchy of violations. "The assertion that some crimes against humanity are less severe than others objectively diminishes the suffering of countless victims and survivors of other atrocities throughout history," he argued.
What could the UN decision change?
Reparative justice had already been publicly supported by the United Nations. Volker Türk, the country's High Commissioner for Human Rights, went even further in a statement released in September 2025, stating that such justice must include "reparations in various forms." However, no such resolution had ever been voted on or passed by the UN General Assembly, where each of the 193 member nations has one vote. The general assembly cannot force countries to pay reparations, but it can give the cause political legitimacy and bolster the case of those arguing for reparations.
Martinez, a researcher who studies Spanish colonialism, stated, "Grassroots movements and pressure from international bodies like the UN are the reasons why many countries, some more timidly than others, have started discussing reparation policies." READ MORE.....
Source: BBC
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