African Leaders Question Role in Commonwealth Amid Calls for Reparations

Nineteen African nations remain in the Commonwealth, a legacy of British colonialism, yet growing calls for reparatory justice question the relevance of their membership. Recently, at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, African leaders demanded Britain acknowledge its role in the trans-Atlantic slave trade through “meaningful” reparative discussions. However, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer dismissed the suggestion, affirming that Britain will not pay monetary reparations. Instead, he urged a focus on future relations. Meanwhile, critics like Nigerian professor Khalifa Dikwa argue that Commonwealth membership yields little benefit for African nations, favoring Britain instead. Despite this, he believes that African nations have no choice but to remain members of the organization. In contrast, Chris Vandome, an expert on international relations, argues that the Commonwealth still plays an important role in the fortunes of its members, providing support on economic and democratic issues.

SOURCE: DW