Commonwealth Secretary-General Candidates Call for Reparations for Colonialism and Slavery

Three candidates for the Secretary-General position of the Commonwealth have called for financial reparations and “reparative justice” for former British colonies, but now as countries affected by slavery and colonialism.

The candidates, Joshua Setipa from Lesotho, Hon. Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey from Ghana, and Dr Mamadou Tangara from Gambia, disclosed this on Wednesday as they pitched their candidacies to lead the 56-country organisation at a debate co-hosted by Chatham House in London, the Commonwealth Foundation, and the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association.

All three candidates to succeed Patricia Scotland called for reparations for the harms caused by former slave-owing states (British colonies or dependencies of those colonies), with the slight exception of Setipa, a former trade minister for Lesotho, who said he supports the idea of “reparative justice” instead.

On the other hand, Ghana’s foreign minister, Botchwey, said, “Financial reparations is good,” adding, “Whether or not the Commonwealth has a role to play will depend on the heads of government, who will give the secretary-general her marching orders.” King Charles is the ceremonial head of the organisation, having taken over after the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth.

In a corroborative tone with Lesotho’s Setipa, Tangara, The Gambia’s foreign minister, said, “I am fully in support of reparatory justice. The Commonwealth can use its convening power to facilitate the dialogue and make it happen.”

Meanwhile, the fate of their succession as the next Secretary-General will be decided at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Samoa in October 2024.

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