Denmark
Country notes
Denmark’s involvement in the trans-Atlantic slave trade began in the late 17th century. Danish traders transported an estimated 100,000 Africans, primarily from the Gold Coast, which is modern-day Ghana. The slaves were taken to Danish Caribbean colonies, including the Danish West Indies (now the U.S. Virgin Islands), where they worked on sugar plantations. The Danish economy benefited from the slave trade through the production and export of sugar and other goods. Denmark was the first European country to officially abolish the trans-Atlantic slave trade in 1792, though the law did not take effect until 1803. Slavery itself was abolished in the Danish colonies in 1848.
Recognition and apology
Denmark has recognized its involvement in the slave trade. In 2017, Danish Prime Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen formally apologized to Ghana for Denmark’s role in the slave trade.
Earlier that year, in his apology to the Ghanaian president, Nana Akufo-Addo, the foreign minister Anders Samuelsen claimed “Nothing can justify the exploitation of men, women and children in which Denmark took part”.
Making amends
Denmark has not provided formal reparations. The focus has been more on historical acknowledgment and promoting cultural projects that address the history of Danish colonialism and slavery.
