Grenada’s Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell has called on the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, to push for an “appropriate apology” and financial reparations for Europe’s role in the historical transatlantic slave trade.
Mitchell, who is also the outgoing chairman of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), raised the issue during his speech at the bloc’s conference, which was attended by both von der Leyen and UN Secretary-General António Guterres.
He emphasized that as long as the idea of one human owning another is not firmly rejected, it poses a danger of resurfacing, enabling such practices to thrive once more.
Mitchell pointed out that many European nations were deeply involved in the forced transportation of millions of Africans across the Atlantic between the 16th and 19th centuries.
He further stressed that as descendants of those who fought for their freedom from slavery, the Caribbean community has a responsibility to ensure the transatlantic slave trade is recognized as a crime against humanity, and that it is followed by an official apology and reparations.
In response, von der Leyen briefly acknowledged Mitchell’s comments during her own speech, affirming that “slavery is a crime against humanity,” though she did not address the request for an apology or mention financial reparations.
