UN committee: Countries must consider reparations for slave trade legacy

The committee described its approach as a significant shift, moving away from debates about historical responsibility that have often been used by governments to resist reparations claims. The document, which could be cited in courtrooms, calls for comprehensive reparatory measures for people of African descent, encompassing all forms of remedies.

Between the 15th and 19th centuries, an estimated 12.5 million Africans were forcibly taken and sold, an event the committee characterized as the largest forced displacement in history. While calls for reparations, including apologies and financial compensation, have been gaining international momentum, opponents argue that current states and institutions should not be held accountable for historical crimes. Notably, the European Union and Britain abstained from a UN resolution on slavery in March.

The UN document counters the argument that some states use the principle of intertemporality—the idea that past actions should be judged by the laws of their time—to evade responsibility. It argues that regardless of whether slavery was legal in the past, countries are bound by present international obligations under the Convention to address the continuing effects and structural inequalities.

Beyond financial compensation, the committee urged "transformative" measures such as opening archives, revising public memorials, and establishing independent truth commissions. Pela Boker-Wilson, a committee expert from Liberia involved in drafting the document, expressed expectations that states will move beyond mere expressions of regret and review their policies and laws, calling for concrete and meaningful action to affirm the dignity of those whose suffering has been denied or minimized.