Commonwealth leaders are reportedly preparing to challenge the UK by agreeing on a plan to address reparatory justice for the transatlantic slave trade, despite opposition from Downing Street. The upcoming summit of the 56 Commonwealth nations, set to begin in Samoa on Friday, is not expected to officially include reparations on its agenda, according to UK officials.

However, diplomatic sources revealed that discussions are ongoing about launching further research and initiating “meaningful conversations” on reparatory justice, which could result in significant financial reparations for the UK. Frederick Mitchell, the Bahamas’ foreign minister, told BBC Radio 4 that while the topic might initially face resistance, “once you broach the subject it may take a while for people to come around but come around they will.”

Reparatory justice can encompass a range of measures, including financial compensation, debt relief, formal apologies, educational initiatives, museum construction, economic support, and public health programs. According to a draft communique obtained by the BBC, Commonwealth leaders acknowledge the need for discussions on the transatlantic slave trade and chattel enslavement. The draft calls for a “meaningful, truthful, and respectful conversation” to build a more equitable future.

The communique outlines plans for leaders to play an “active role” in promoting inclusive conversations on these historical harms and commit to further research on the slave trade and chattel slavery to inform future actions. British officials managed to block a proposal for a separate declaration on the issue, but the current text contains three paragraphs detailing the Commonwealth’s stance.

Diplomats involved in the negotiations indicated that Caricom, the Caribbean community organization, sought to broaden the issue to include not only the Atlantic slave trade but also similar practices in the Pacific. The draft text references “blackbirding,” a practice where Pacific islanders were tricked or forcibly taken into slave labor or low-paid work across the region.

It is anticipated that reparatory justice will be a central agenda item at the next Commonwealth summit in two years, likely to be hosted in the Caribbean, potentially in Antigua and Barbuda. In the lead-up to this year’s summit, Commonwealth leaders have increasingly called on the UK to issue an apology and consider reparations for its historical role in the slave trade.

A report published last year by the University of the West Indies, supported by International Court of Justice judge Patrick Robinson, estimated that the UK could owe more than £18 trillion in reparations for its role in the enslavement of 14 Caribbean countries.