Ambassador Aubrey Webson

Antigua and Barbuda has renewed its demand for reparatory justice for people of African descent, declaring at the United Nations that expressions of regret over slavery and colonialism are not enough and must be followed by concrete measures.

Ambassador Dr. Walton Aubrey Webson, Antigua and Barbuda’s permanent representative to the United Nations, made the call Monday during the General Debate of the 81st Session of the UN General Assembly.

Webson linked the reparations campaign to the climate crisis, arguing that Caribbean countries entered the modern global economy carrying the consequences of centuries of enslavement and colonial extraction.

“The Caribbean did not arrive at this moment on equal terms. Centuries of enslavement and colonial extraction transferred wealth from our societies and denied generations the means to build prosperity,” Webson said.

“Political independence did not erase that harm.”

He said countries that contributed the least to climate change are now being forced to borrow at high costs to recover from disasters driven largely by emissions accumulated elsewhere.

“That is where climate debt meets historical debt,” Webson said.

He said Antigua and Barbuda stands firmly alongside CARICOM and Africa in demanding reparatory justice for people of African descent.

According to Webson, reparatory justice requires acknowledgement of responsibility, action to repair continuing harm and changes to structures that continue to reproduce inequality.

“Expressions of regret are not enough. Justice requires honest dialogue followed by concrete measures for repair, restitution and development,” he said.

“Reparatory justice is not a favor. It is a claim grounded in responsibility, equality and human dignity.”

This article was originally published by Antigua News Room. Read the original article here: Antigua and Barbuda Says ‘Expressions of Regret Are Not Enough’ on Reparations.