Macron's presence at reparations conference 'totally unacceptable,' says veteran journalist

Veteran journalist Kwesi Pratt has strongly condemned the presence of French President Emmanuel Macron at a conference discussing reparations for the transatlantic slave trade. Pratt described Macron's participation as "totally unacceptable," arguing that the forum should not be a platform for "hollow expressions of sympathy" from nations historically linked to the exploitation of Africans.

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We are not alone, and we are not begging. We are engaged in a struggle for justice.

Speaking at the High-Level Consultative Conference on the next steps following a UN resolution on the trafficking of enslaved Africans, Pratt emphasized that reparations must be understood as justice, not charity. He asserted that the transatlantic slave trade was a state-sponsored enterprise, supported by governments, companies, churches, and institutions that profited immensely from the exploitation of Africans.

Pratt outlined a comprehensive vision for reparatory justice, extending beyond apologies and compensation. He called for restitution, rehabilitation, institutional reforms, cultural restoration, and educational correction. The journalist urged African governments and the diaspora to leverage the UN resolution as a foundation for a concrete international program of action, rather than a mere symbolic declaration.

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reparations must be understood as justice rather than charity.

Furthermore, Pratt proposed the establishment of a permanent reparations mechanism involving the African Union, CARICOM, African states, legal experts, historians, economists, and civil society organizations. He also advocated for legal action and thorough research into states, companies, banks, and churches that participated in or profited from slavery and colonial exploitation to clearly establish responsibility. Pratt stressed the need for a global reparations education campaign to challenge narratives that portray Africa as underdeveloped by destiny, asserting that Africa's current condition is inextricably linked to centuries of slavery, colonialism, and exploitation that enriched industrialized nations.

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Macron’s presence at the conference “totally unacceptable,”