GENEVA - The United Nations human rights chief called for countries to take concrete steps on reparations for people of African descent at a U.N. meeting on Friday, adding his voice to calls for justice for slavery atrocities.
"On reparations, we must finally enter a new era. Governments must step up to show true leadership with genuine commitments to move swiftly from words to action that will adequately address the wrongs of the past." While the idea of paying reparations has gained traction, it remains divisive and has not been accepted by most former colonial powers.
A British Foreign Office spokesperson acknowledged the country's role in transatlantic slavery but said there was no plan to pay reparations, saying the focus should be on learning the lessons from history and on"today's challenges".