Baku hosts international conference on Belgian colonialism, reparations PHOTO

An international conference on Belgian colonialism is being held in Baku, bringing together officials, diplomats and experts from former Belgian colonies and international organisations.

The conference, titled “Belgium’s Colonial Injustice and the 101-Year Path to Reparations”, has been organised by the Baku Initiative Group (BIG).

According to BIG, participants include officials from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Rwanda and Burundi, as well as representatives from Morocco and South Africa and experts from the United Nations.

Among those attending are the DRC Ombudsman, members of the Congolese parliament, Rwanda’s ambassador and diplomats in Türkiye, and UN experts.

The discussions are focused on efforts to place issues related to Belgium’s colonial legacy on the UN agenda, including at the Human Rights Council. Participants are also examining calls for official apologies and compensation for crimes committed during the colonial period in the DRC, Rwanda and Burundi.

Another issue under discussion is the creation of an internationally binding mechanism to monitor Belgium’s obligations concerning reparations and restitution, based on principles set out in UN General Assembly Resolution 60/147.

The conference is also addressing access to Belgian colonial archives, the participation of specialists from former colonial territories in relevant processes, and the return of human remains and other historical materials to their countries of origin.

By Aghakazim Guliyev