Leaders of the Commonwealth group of nations will meet at a welcome banquet in Samoa in the South Pacific on Thursday, with climate change and reparations for Britain’s role in the transatlantic slave trade on the agenda. agenda for summit discussions.
Leaders and officials from 56 countries with roots in the British Empire, as well as Britain’s King Charles, are in the small island nation and attending the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, which began on Monday. The foreign ministers of the two countries also began a day of discussions on Thursday.
More than half of the Commonwealth’s members are small states, many of which are low-lying island nations threatened by sea level rise due to climate change.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said ocean temperatures are increasing in the Pacific Islands at a rate three times that of the entire world, and its population is “particularly exposed” to the impact of sea level rise.
“Climate change is an existential threat. It is the number one threat to national security. It is the number one economic threat to the people of the Pacific and to many members of the Commonwealth,” said the Australian Minister for Business. foreigners, Penny Wong, at a press conference after a press conference. meeting with counterparts.
A number of African countries, including Zambia, warned participants of the growing impacts of climate change, including its effects on food security, she added.
On Thursday, Charles will be shown the impact of rising sea levels that are forcing people to move inland, a Samoan chief said.
Island leaders are expected to issue a statement on ocean protection at the summit, with climate change a central topic of discussion.
Repairs are growing
Also on the agenda is a push for Britain to pay reparations for transatlantic slavery, a long-standing issue that has recently gained momentum. global dynamicsparticularly those that are part of the Caribbean Community and more recently the African Union.
British Prime Minister Kier Starmer said monday The UK will not raise the issue of reparations for historic transatlantic slavery at the summit, but is open to engaging with leaders who wish to discuss it.
CARICOM has set up a commission to seek redress from former colonial powers such as the United Kingdom, France and Portugal.
Those who oppose paying reparations say countries should not be held accountable for historical wrongs, while those in favor say the legacy of slavery has led to vast and persistent racial inequalities today .
A CARICOM source close to the matter told Reuters that CHOGM presented an “important opportunity” for dialogue on reparations and that the region would discuss the issue there.
“This is a priority for many Commonwealth member countries and whenever those affected by atrocities ask to speak, there should always be a willingness to sit down and listen,” said Kingsley Abbott, director of the Institute of Commonwealth Studies, University of London. who is participating in the summit.
From the 15th to the 19th centuries, at least 12.5 million Africans were kidnapped and forcibly transported by European ships and merchants and sold into slavery. Those who survived the brutal journey ended up working on plantations in inhumane conditions across the Americas, primarily Brazil and the Caribbean, while others profited from their labor.