A United Nations anti-racism committee has called for reparatory measures to address the enduring consequences of the transatlantic trade in enslaved Africans, chattel slavery and related racial discrimination, in a development that could give fresh impetus to long-running calls for historical justice.
The UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) has been developing guidance on reparations covering the transatlantic trade in enslaved Africans, their treatment as chattel and the continuing harms suffered by people of African descent.
The committee’s work is focused on establishing principles for addressing the legacy of slavery and its links to contemporary racial discrimination, including through measures such as restitution, compensation and other forms of reparation.
The issue has particular significance for Africa, where millions of people were forcibly removed during centuries of transatlantic trafficking. The consequences of the trade and subsequent systems of slavery continue to feature in international discussions over racial inequality, economic disparities and historical accountability.
CERD has held expert consultations and a general discussion on reparations as part of the process of developing its guidance. The committee said the process drew on expert contributions and more than 60 written submissions.
The UN body’s work comes amid growing calls from African and Caribbean countries, as well as civil society organisations, for greater international recognition of the lasting effects of slavery and colonialism.
Reparations can take different forms, including financial compensation, restitution, public acknowledgement, institutional reforms and measures aimed at addressing continuing inequalities. The precise form and implementation of any measures would depend on national and international processes.
The committee’s initiative does not establish a global compensation scheme. Instead, it provides an international framework for examining states’ responsibilities and possible remedies for historical and continuing racial injustices.
For African countries, the debate extends beyond compensation to questions of development, cultural heritage, historical recognition and the long-term social and economic consequences of the forced removal and exploitation of millions of Africans.
The UN initiative could therefore add further weight to international discussions over how governments and institutions should address the legacy of slavery and ensure that efforts to combat racial discrimination also take account of its historical roots.
