BVI News on March 27, 2026
The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) has welcomed what it describes as a “historic” United Nations resolution declaring the transatlantic trafficking and enslavement of Africans as the gravest crime against humanity, a move leaders say strengthens the region’s long-running push for reparatory justice.
The resolution, adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on March 25, 2026, was led by Ghana and received full backing from all CARICOM member states. It formally recognises the scale, brutality, duration and enduring consequences of African chattel enslavement, while calling for the establishment of frameworks to address reparations.
The vote coincided with the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade, adding symbolic weight to the declaration.
However, the resolution did not receive unanimous support. A small number of countries voted against the measure, including the United States and a few other states, reflecting ongoing divisions within the international community over the issue of reparations and historical accountability.
For CARICOM nations, including the Virgin Islands, the resolution represents a significant milestone in a decades-long campaign to secure justice for the descendants of enslaved Africans. The region has been at the forefront of advocacy through the CARICOM Reparations Commission, which has consistently called on former colonial powers to acknowledge and repair the enduring socio-economic damage caused by slavery.
In its statement, CARICOM said the resolution not only affirms the historical truth of the transatlantic slave trade but also lays the groundwork for tangible action. The declaration emphasises the need for education, research, remembrance and healing, alongside concrete measures to address the legacies of enslavement.
Regional leaders have long argued that the effects of slavery are still evident today, from economic inequality to underdevelopment, and have pressed for structured reparations programmes, including debt relief, technology transfer and investment in health and education.
The latest UN action is expected to bolster CARICOM’s diplomatic efforts, providing stronger international legitimacy to its reparations agenda and increasing pressure on former slave-owning nations to engage in meaningful dialogue.
CARICOM said it will continue working collaboratively with global partners to ensure the resolution is implemented, stressing that acknowledgement must now be followed by action.
For many across the Caribbean, the vote signals a turning point — one that moves the conversation beyond recognition toward justice.
Source: BVI News
See also UN resolution urges reparations for slavery’s ‘historical wrongs’ | UN News
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