At a glance

• The heads of government of the Commonwealth of Nations - an international association composed largely of former members of the British Empire - will meet in Samoa between 25 and 26 October 2024.

• This will be the 27th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) since 1971.

• Caribbean countries in attendance are expected to table requests for reparations for British slavery between the 16th and 19th centuries.

What is happening?

The most senior government ministers of the Commonwealth nations will meet in Samoa on the 25 and 26 October 2024. The meeting’s mission - announced by the host nation - is "One Resilient Common Future: Transforming our Common Wealth". The summit’s principal aims include: building structures to sustain human rights, democracy, and the rule of law; creating an environment to combat climate change; establishing economies capable of recovery and growth; and constructing societies which ensure a “peaceful and productive life”. 

The event, however, will not be the display of unity between the former imperial metropole and its former colonies as in previous years. Two of the most significant members of the Commonwealth, India and South Africa, have declined to send their respective premiers to CHOGM in favour of the BRICS summit which will take place in Kazan, Russia. Canada - a historic ally of the United Kingdom (UK) - has also announced it will send neither its prime minister nor its foreign secretary to the meeting, with Canada’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Ralph Goodale, taking their place.

It is in this context that 15 Caribbean countries, as part of the intergovernmental Caribbean Community (CARICOM), have agreed to propose reparations as part of the agenda for the upcoming meeting. Reparations are efforts to address past wrongdoings by offering compensation or support to those who were harmed.. The reparations put forward by the CARICOM nations concern Britain’s involvement in transatlantic slavery and colonialism in the Caribbean. The sums involved regarding Britain’s supposed reparations vary widely, ranging from around £200 billion (as estimated by Dr Michael Banner) to as much as £19 trillion - as ruled by United Nations judge Patrick Robinson in 2023.

This is not the first time Caribbean nations have made a concerted effort to push for reparations. In 2023, CARICOM formed a partnership with the African Union -  a continental union of 55 member states - to persuade European countries (including the UK) to agree to pay for past transgressions, establishing the  Global Reparation Fund in the process. That same year, Caribbean leaders also demanded reparations from King Charles III, calling on the King to pay for his family’s past involvement in the slave trade out of his personal wealth.

What is in it for you?

For our Caribbean, British, and global readers, the proposals put forward by the Caribbean nations could have major political and economic consequences.

For our readers in the Caribbean, the unified effort to force the issue of reparations on the UK will have the immediate political effect of advancing the cause they pledged to in 2023. It will strengthen the bonds between the CARICOM nations and possibly change the agenda of CHOGM 2024. If they are successful in the latter, it may result in significant international pressure being put on the UK to at least consider the demands. If the UK government agrees to pay even a fraction of the reparations’ estimated value, the Caribbean nations could be revolutionised politically, economically, and socially by substantial inward investment. Alternatively, the demands could strain relations with the UK at a time when the country - according to the current Chancellor Rachel Reeves - is struggling with the “worst set of circumstances since the Second World War”. 

For readers in the UK, the demands could likewise have several ramifications. If the Caribbean countries successfully table reparations in Samoa, and the UK government refuses to participate in any such discussion, relations between the UK and the CARICOM nations will likely fray , producing tension within the Commonwealth. On the other hand, if the UK government begins to consider reparations, it could further strain the British economy by placing an additional financial commitment on the UK government. This is particularly relevant to UK readers as the Labour government is already planning to make deep cuts and tax rises in the upcoming budget on 30 October 2024 to meet its current demands.

For global readers, especially those in former colonies, the Caribbean countries’ plans to settle reparations at CHOGM 2024 may see their own countries do the same. The African Union, as previously mentioned, has already committed itself to seeking reparations of its own for European colonialism. If CARICOM is successful in their bid, it may embolden other countries to partner together in pursuit of a similar goal. As a result, not only the UK but also nations such as France, Portugal, Spain, Germany, and the United States may all face heightened calls to make amends for their historical actions.

What happens next?

The British Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, has already stated ahead of the summit that the UK will not entertain any negotiation over reparations. The Prime Minister’s position was summarised by one Downing Street spokesperson who concisely said: “We do not pay reparations”. Speaking to reporters, Keir Starmer defended his stance as “looking forward rather than looking backwards”. The British government has also stated that there will be no official apology for Britain’s role in the transatlantic slave trade. Subsequently, the UK government will try to prevent any discussion of reparations from being discussed at CHOGM 2024 to avoid a possibly awkward diplomatic moment.

Despite this, the Caribbean countries will show no intention to cease pressing their claims, either against Britain or other European nations. Having already jointly established the Global Reparation Fund and  a separate CARICOM Reparations Commission, the Caribbean countries are committed to gaining the recompense they believe they are owed. As such, regardless of whether their efforts to table reparations in Samoa are successful or not, they will continue to make their case.

The Polis Team in Sheffield