The legacy of the slave trade continues to have consequences in present times and remains at the root of some acts of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and intolerance. It is necessary, so that society can be reconciled with its own history, that the truth concerning slavery and the slave trade be taught, publicly acknowledged and better understood. The parties involved have a moral duty to grant reparation to victims of slave trade and colonialism. Such reparation may take the form of restitution, compensation, rehabilitation as well as measures which guarantee non-repetition.

Recommendations on how reparations should be made:

•  That all States should recognise that slavery is a crime against humanity.

•  That those States involved in the slave trade should make a formal. apology to the victims of that trade and their descendants for their part in this human rights violation.

•  That these States should undertake to ensure that the truth about the slave trade is not forgotten (e.g. through education programmes, memorials, commemorative days, etc).

•  That States whose economies have benefited from the slave trade should unconditionally write off all debts owed to them by heavily indebted States whose economies have been negatively affected by the slave trade.

•  That States which have benefited from the slave trade should set up a human rights fund. This would be administered by an appropriate international organisation to which States could apply on behalf of communities which suffered as a consequence of the slave trade (i.e. in areas from which slaves were taken and descendants are less well off than others in the same country). Funds could be used for projects that would benefit communities in a general way, such as such as health, education or infrastructure projects.