CELAC-EU Should Address Colonial Legacies Reparation: Gonsalves

On Monday, during the inauguration of the summit between the European Union (EU) and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), Ralph Gonsalves, the prime minister of Saint Vincent & the Grenadines and pro-tempore president of CELAC, emphasized that European and Latin American countries must seek mechanisms to build a better world.

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The Caribbean leader invited the representatives of the countries to carry out "mature" discussions that allow progress to solve contemporary problems that affect all nations, among which are climate change, poverty, and food insecurity.

Gonsalves highlighted the importance of having frank discussions on the reform of the international financial architecture, the promotion of the digital transition, and the improvement of multilateralism.

The Saint Vincent & the Grenadines prime minister also proposed that the CELAC-UE Summit address the issue of historical reparation for the consequences of European colonialism in Latin America and the Caribbean.

“I am hopeful that a paragraph in the declaration will address the historical legacies of native genocide and enslavement of African bodies, as well as something towards reparative justice,” he said, adding that he has already spoken with the European Council President Charles Michel about this issue.

Gonsalves also recalled that the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) previously proposed a "reparative justice strategy" that has to do with issues related to debt relief and social inclusion in education, health, and culture.

Before inaugurating the CELAC-EU summit, Gonsalves held a meeting with Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel. Both Caribbean leaders agreed on the relevance of the summit as a mechanism to generate international links based on respect for the sovereignty of States and to promote growth options for developing countries.