July 14, 2026
The CARICOM Reparations Commission (CRC) will visit the United Kingdom from 13 to 16 July 2026 to advance its advocacy for reparatory justice. The delegation’s mission is to strengthen strategic partnerships to promote a programme of public education and civil society engagement on the reparations agenda. Meetings and events will be hosted by the Institute of Commonwealth Studies, School of Advanced Study, University of London.
The members of the CRC delegation are Professor Sir Hilary Beckles, Chairman, CRC; Dorbrene O’Marde, Chairman, Antigua and Barbuda Reparations Support Commission and Vice Chair, CRC; Eric Phillips, Chairman, Guyana Reparations Committee and Vice Chair, CRC; Professor Verene Shepherd, Vice Chair, CRC, and Vice Chair, UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination and Ambassador David Comissong, Barbados Ambassador to CARICOM.
Dr Ron Daniels, Convenor of the National African Reparations Commission (USA), will also join the delegation.
The Commission’s visit takes place during a period of significant developments in international reparations efforts and as CARICOM Member States prepare for CHOGM 2026 in Antigua and Barbuda and other engagements.
In March 2026, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the landmark Ghana-led resolution declaring the transatlantic trafficking of enslaved Africans and chattel enslavement as the “gravest crime against humanity.”
Following this achievement, Ghana hosted the High-Level Consultative Conference on Reparations in Accra in June 2026. Described as a “historic turning point for Africans and People of African descent,” the event brought together governments, international organisations, legal experts, and civil society leaders to develop a unified framework for advancing reparatory justice worldwide.
Additionally, this month the revised “CARICOM Ten Point Plan for Reparatory Justice: A Manifesto for the Coming Enlightenment” which positions reparations as a “global human rights imperative,” was finalised and approved by the Conference of CARICOM Heads of Government who also agreed to several initiatives to advance the Region’s Reparations agenda.
Members of the media are cordially invited to participate in a briefing with CRC representatives, who will share an update on the delegation’s mission and upcoming initiatives.
What: Media Briefing
Where: University of London | Room 261, Senate House
Malet Street, London WC1E 7HU, United Kingdom
When: Tuesday, 14 July 2026
2:00 PM BST | United Kingdom
7:00 AM CST | Belize
8:00 AM EST | Jamaica
9:00 AM GYT | Guyana
9:00 AM AST | Trinidad and Tobago | Barbados
10:00 AM SRT | Suriname
Virtual participation: Please register to join the discussion via the following link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/88147256394?pwd=NRg0SZj58IZxc1feRl56mMgLaH1CbL.1
Meeting ID: 881 4725 6394
Passcode: 324515
Members of the media are kindly requested to join the meeting at least 10 minutes before the scheduled start time.
Additional information
This is the second official visit by the CRC to the UK as a collective body. The itinerary includes:
- A meeting with CARICOM and AU High Commissioners and Ambassadors
- A public roundtable discussion at the Institute of Commonwealth Studies
- A panel presentation at the UK Parliament, organised by MP Bell Ribeiro Addy who chairs the All Party Parliamentary Group on Afrikan Reparations (APPG-AR).
The visit underscores the CRC’s commitment to building international alliances and fostering dialogue around reparatory justice, historical accountability, and socio-economic transformation.
Updates on the mission will be shared via CARICOM.org, CARICOM Social Media platforms and our WhatsApp Community: https://bit.ly/CARICOMWhatsApp