A United Nations committee has declared that countries are legally required to consider reparations for the transatlantic slave trade. According to the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, the obligation stems from a binding 1965 convention on racial discrimination rather than laws that existed when slavery occurred. The panel described the position as a shift away from historical responsibility debates often used to block reparations claims. It rejected arguments based on the absence of historical laws prohibiting slavery, saying governments remain responsible today for addressing structural inequalities linked to its legacy. The committee urged states to pursue comprehensive reparatory measures for people of African descent, including financial compensation, official apologies, and broader reforms.