The United Kingdom has agreed to participate in “structured, time-bound, inclusive and good-faith” discussions on addressing the historical injustices of the transatlantic slave trade, Commonwealth leaders have said.
In a joint statement, the leaders said the time had come for a “meaningful, truthful and respectful conversation” towards building a shared future founded on equity.
The development follows remarks by Andy Burnham, who attended the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Antigua and Barbuda alongside the King, that Britain was “open” to issuing a formal apology for its role in the transatlantic slave trade.
However, he ruled out the possibility of paying financial reparations.
The joint statement said: “We welcome the agreement of the government of the United Kingdom to engage in a structured, time-bound, inclusive and good-faith dialogue with affected parties addressing the transatlantic trafficking of enslaved Africans and its historical harms.”
Officials said the timeline for the discussions would be agreed at a later date, although Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband indicated that the process would likely be completed within 12 months.
Mr Burnham has faced calls from leaders of African and Caribbean Commonwealth countries to pay reparations for the lasting effects of slavery.
The Prime Minister has maintained that the UK does not support reparations, saying he has “been very clear” about the government’s position. However, he has outlined plans for a “debt reset” to support poorer countries struggling to meet their debt repayment obligations.
He argued that efforts to support member states facing rising global interest rates should involve donors outside the G7 group of leading industrialised nations, as well as the private sector.
About half of developing countries facing debt challenges are members of the Commonwealth, an association made up largely of former British colonies and representing approximately 2.7 billion people.
Mr Burnham also announced that the UK would commit £40m over three years to support infrastructure investment, including green energy projects across the Caribbean.
He said the funding would be drawn from existing budgets, while Mr Miliband maintained that UK taxpayers would not face additional costs under Mr Burnham’s “new approach” to the Commonwealth.
