Archbishop of Canterbury Reaffirms £100 million Reparations Fund During Ghana Tour

During a visit to Cape Coast Castle in Ghana, Archbishop of Canterbury Dame Sarah Mullally reiterated the Church of England’s commitment to a £100 million fund intended to support communities affected by the transatlantic slave trade. The archbishop toured the castle’s dungeons and the “Door of No Return,” then spoke about the Church’s historical involvement and the need for concrete action.

The Guardian

The Church of England has previously apologized for its role in the slave trade, acknowledging that its missionary arm operated slave-farmed plantations and that individual clergy owned slaves. Three years ago the Church established the £100 million reparative-justice fund to finance “investment, research and engagement” in impacted communities. The fund’s size has been debated, with some observers calling for a larger commitment.

BBC News

The Ghanaian government has highlighted the tour as part of its broader “Year of Return” initiative aimed at reconnecting the African diaspora with its heritage.

The Guardian

Opposition to the fund includes questions about the accuracy of reports on the Church’s complicity and legal concerns over its implementation. A committee of Conservative MPs urged that the money be redirected to clergy wages, while Ghanaian accountant Kenneth Mordzro argued the Church should also return gold and artefacts looted during the 19th-century Anglo-Asante wars. An independent oversight group previously deemed the £100 million amount insufficient, recommending a scale-up to £1 billion.

The Guardian

• “Being at Cape Coast castle today and seeing the horrific conditions that thousands of people were kept in, it is impossible not to feel the weight of the immense evil that drove the transatlantic slave trade,” — Dame Sarah Mullally

The Guardian