French President Emmanuel Macron has cautioned against limiting reparations for slavery to financial compensation, arguing that justice for historical injustices must also include truth-telling, education, memorialisation and the restitution of cultural heritage.
Speaking at the High-Level Consultative Conference on “Next Steps” under the United Nations Resolution on Enslaved Africans in Accra on Thursday, June 18, 2026, President Macron said reparatory justice should not be viewed as a process that ends with monetary payments.
He said meaningful reparations must take different forms that acknowledge the suffering of enslaved Africans while preserving the memory of those affected.
“Reparations, because this is also what it comes down to when we speak of justice, can take different forms as I mentioned several days ago and as John Dramani Mahama has underlined on several occasions,” he said.
Macron stressed that historical justice cannot be measured solely in financial terms.
“History cannot be reduced to a simple accounting ledger. Making reparations is about placing importance on scientific and historical truth, building monuments, teaching, researching. It means returning the works of art that were stolen during those periods.”
The French President said reparations should also address unresolved historical issues, pointing to France’s ongoing engagement with Haiti as an example of efforts to confront the legacy of the past.
“Reparations also involve the ability to work out situations as we are currently doing with Haiti. It can be approached from multiple perspectives, but in no case should it be seen as an endpoint, a cheque written to bring the story to a close,” he stated.
According to Macron, the legacy of slavery remains a living part of history that demands continued remembrance, open dialogue and practical efforts to promote healing and reconciliation.
“The history will live on and we must continue to bear its names, memories and faces, while continuing to make amends, make progress and discuss the future,” he added.
President Macron also reaffirmed France’s commitment to supporting international efforts aimed at advancing historical recognition and promoting reparatory justice for the descendants of enslaved Africans.
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