BRIDGETOWN, Barbados – The African Diaspora at its recent Global Conference held in Bridgetown, Barbados issued a call for CARICOM governments to collaborate with the African Union in developing appropriate mechanisms to ensure that Third States such as several European states, Canada and the United States expedite the implementation of reparations for their role in slavery.
Jointly organized by the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), the African Union, (AU) and the Barbados Commission for Pan African Affairs, the African Diaspora Global Conference advocated for the establishment of an AU-CARICOM International Reparations Commission comprising government and civil society representatives to study the issue of reparations and repatriation in a scientific and comprehensive manner, with a view to proposing credible options for reparations.
The Conference also urged the AU and CARICOM to act on the Plan of Action of the United Nations World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance, held in Durban, South Africa in 2001, by also establishing a High-Level Panel of Eminent Persons from the AU, CARICOM and other African Diasporas, to lead follow-up action.
The Conference held on August 27-28 under the theme, Fostering Sustainable Global Dialogue with Africa and its Diaspora: The Case of the Caribbean was organised in the wake of the observance of the 200th Anniversary of the Abolition of the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade and in the context of the Bicentennial Global Dialogue on ‘Slavery, the Slave Trade, Reconciliation and Social Justice.’
Several hard-hitting recommendations emanated from the Conference including a call for CARICOM and the AU to support the immediate termination of colonial occupation in the territories occupied by the Dutch, French, British and the US and for both regions to harmonize positions in multilateral fora on relevant global issues thus negotiating as joint regional blocks.
The Conference also called for more emphasis on political cooperation including focus on South to South cooperation and if necessary the creation of a new inclusive forum to discuss issues relevant to Africa and the Caribbean.
Other recommendations include the inclusion of youth in the deliberations of the AU-CARICOM processes; a Global Africa Fund on AIDS for research and mobilization of constituencies such as artists and sport personalities and more focus on the promotion of cultural industries and tourism exchange activities between Africa and the Diaspora.
The Conference was one of six regional consultations leading up to the African Diaspora Ministerial Conference scheduled for November 2007, which will make preparations for the African Union (AU) African Diaspora Summit planned for 2008. Both the Ministerial Conference and the AU African Diaspora Heads of State and Government Summit will be held in South Africa.
