Full Breakdown
Archbishop of Canterbury Reaffirms £100 million Reparations Fund During Ghana Visit
8/1/2026, 9:10:29 PM
Core Event: Visit to Cape Coast Castle and Fund Commitment
During a pastoral tour of West Africa, Archbishop Sarah Mullally visited Cape Coast Castle in Ghana, the historic departure point for enslaved Africans. After being shown the dungeons and the “Door of No Return,” she reiterated the Church of England’s commitment to a £100 million reparative-justice fund aimed at communities affected by the transatlantic slave trade. The visit marked her first trip to Africa since her installation as the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury in March.
Background & Context: Historical Links and Fund Creation
The Church of England has long acknowledged its involvement in the slave trade, including missionary-run plantations, clergy who owned slaves, and donations from slave traders. Three years ago, an audit of the Church’s historic endowment uncovered investments in a company that trafficked enslaved people. (also called Project Spire) to support investment, research and engagement in affected communities. The fund follows a formal apology issued by former Archbishop Justin Welby.
Data & Statistics
- Fund size: £100 million (approximately $135 million).
- Initial spending: £1.15 million has already been allocated to project activities.
- Audit finding: historic endowment held assets linked to a slave-trading enterprise, prompting the fund’s creation.
Official Statements & Responses
Ghana’s foreign minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa praised the Archbishop, stating that her actions will send “the right signals” and challenge “revisionists or obstructionists” within the Church. A Church of England spokesperson emphasized that the fund is intended to finance research, community projects and educational initiatives in Africa and the diaspora.
Criticism & Opposition
- Nigel Biggar, Oxford professor, described African nations’ reparations demands as “cynical opportunism” and called the Church’s claims “astonishingly hypocritical.”
- Ian Paul, theologian, argued that the focus on the Church’s past ignores the Ashanti Empire’s own reliance on slavery and questioned the narrative of “first-generation horror.”
- Nick Timothy, Conservative MP, contended that parish churches are “crumbling” and that the £100 million should be redirected to clergy wages rather than overseas projects.
- Robert Lyman, military historian, labeled the fund “grotesque” given the financial strain on local congregations and suggested the Church’s evangelical ancestors’ role in abolition is being ignored.
Verbatim Quotes
- “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
- “During her tour of the castle, the Archbishop prayed in a former Anglican chapel above the dungeons where male prisoners were kept in appalling conditions. Today it is an educational library and chapel, and stands as a painful symbol of the Church’s involvement in the transatlantic slave trade,” — Lambeth Palace
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
While the fund’s £100 million size is consistently reported, sources differ on the adequacy of the amount. No definitive timeline has been provided for the full deployment of the fund’s resources.
What’s Next
Following the Ghana leg, Archbishop Mullally is scheduled to travel to Yaoundé, Douala and the English-speaking Cameroonian cities of Buea and Limbe to continue engagements on reparative justice and church-related initiatives.
