Key facts
- The Archbishop of Canterbury has renewed her commitment to a £100 million fund for reparations related to the transatlantic slave trade.
- Dame Sarah Mullally visited Cape Coast Castle in Ghana, a former holding site for enslaved Africans.
- The fund is intended for investment, research, and engagement in communities affected by slavery.
- The Church of England has a documented history of involvement, including running slave-farmed plantations and receiving donations from slave traders.
- Ghana is leading a global campaign for reparations from institutions and nations that benefited from the slave trade.
Archbishop of Canterbury Dame Sarah Mullally has reaffirmed her commitment to a controversial £100 million fund established by the Church of England to address its historical role in the transatlantic slave trade. Speaking during a visit to Cape Coast Castle in Ghana, a significant site in the history of the slave trade, Dame Sarah expressed deep emotion over the horrific conditions and treatment of enslaved Africans.
She acknowledged the Church's part in the slave trade, stating that repentance requires action. The fund is designated for "a programme of investment, research and engagement" in communities that bear the legacy of enslavement. The Church of England's historical ties to the slave trade include its missionary arm operating slave-farmed plantations in the Caribbean and receiving funds from slave traders.