By Gabriel Okhao
The Prime Minister of the UK, Keir Starmer, facing pressure to address Britain’s role in the slave trade, dismissed calls for slavery reparations from Commonwealth nations during his attendance at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM 2024) in Apia, Samoa.
Moreover, it appears that all three candidates contesting for the position of Secretary-General of the Commonwealth have openly expressed support for reparations for countries affected by slavery and colonialism.
The Caribbean Community and Common Market (CARICOM) has also been reported to have called for discussions on reparations, with their representatives from the region expected to bring it up in Samoa.
Despite this, the UK Government maintains its stance that no form of address or apology will be offered in the upcoming events. Reports from the Prime Minister state he would rather focus on “facing forward” and emphasise tackling present-day challenges rather than dwelling on past injustices.
Meanwhile, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi were notably absent during the event.