Reparations Commission Welcomes CHOGM Progress, Says Dialogue Must Lead to Action

The Antigua and Barbuda Reparations Support Commission (ABRSC) has welcomed what it describes as significant progress on reparatory justice at the recent Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, while warning that diplomatic commitments must produce concrete results.

In a statement following the meeting hosted in Antigua and Barbuda, the commission said the United Kingdom’s agreement to participate in structured, time-bound, inclusive and good-faith dialogue with affected countries marked an important development in the campaign for justice over the transatlantic trafficking and enslavement of Africans.

However, it cautioned against treating the commitment to talks as the achievement of reparations.

“Dialogue is not an apology, and an apology, while important, is not reparations,” the commission said.

The ABRSC said it believes meaningful engagement is now closer than at any previous time, but stressed that neither a formal apology nor tangible reparations has yet been secured.

It argued that an apology would acknowledge historical wrongdoing and its devastating consequences, but must be accompanied by measurable and sustained action to address inequalities inherited from slavery and colonial exploitation.

The commission credited the collective advocacy of CARICOM, the African Union and other international partners with helping to advance the issue on the Commonwealth agenda.

It pointed to the revised CARICOM Ten-Point Plan for Reparatory Justice as a framework for addressing the continuing consequences of enslavement through education, healthcare, economic development, debt relief, technology transfer, cultural restoration and climate resilience.

The ABRSC also sought to counter misconceptions about the movement, saying reparatory justice should not be reduced to individual financial payouts.

Instead, it described a broader programme of investment and restorative measures aimed at addressing structural inequalities and supporting sustainable development.

“The commission wishes to emphasize that reparatory justice is not about revenge, charity or assigning personal guilt to present generations,” the statement said.

The ABRSC challenged suggestions that reparations are unrealistic, pointing to Britain’s compensation of former slave owners following the abolition of slavery. It contrasted that compensation with the absence of comparable redress for formerly enslaved people who endured generations of forced labour and exploitation.

The commission argued that negotiated settlements and reparatory programmes elsewhere demonstrate that historical injustices can be addressed when political will exists.

While remaining cautiously optimistic about the CHOGM outcome, it said success must ultimately be judged by substantive negotiations, accountability and tangible benefits for affected countries and communities.

It called on people in Antigua and Barbuda, across CARICOM and throughout the African diaspora to remain engaged, urging informed public debate and sustained support for the movement.

The commission said it would continue public education, advocacy and efforts to mobilise national support, stressing that recognition alone would not complete the struggle.

“We have moved from asking the world to acknowledge that an injustice occurred to insisting that the world engage seriously with how that injustice can be repaired,” it said.