France
Country notes
France became significantly involved in the trans-Atlantic slave trade in the 17th century, continuing into the 18th century. French traders transported about 1.3 million Africans, mainly from regions in modern-day Senegal, Benin, and Congo. These slaves were primarily sent to French colonies in the Caribbean, such as Saint-Domingue (now Haiti), Martinique, and Guadeloupe, where they worked on sugar, coffee, and indigo plantations. The wealth generated from these plantations was a major factor in France’s economic growth during this period. France’s participation in the slave trade was marked by brutal conditions and high mortality rates during the Middle Passage. The French Revolution brought temporary abolition in 1794, but Napoleon reinstated slavery in 1802. It was finally abolished in French colonies in 1848.
Recognition and apology
France has officially recognized its role in the slave trade and slavery. In 2001, the French Parliament passed the Taubira Law, which declared the trans-Atlantic slave trade and slavery a crime against humanity. This made the country the first in the world to recognise the atrocities of the ugly era as a crime against humanity.
It took another 22 years before the country finally, officially apologised for the crimes.
Making amends
France has blocked any form of direct reparations to descendants of slaves. Since the the official recognition of 2001, its courts have repeatedly denied the claims of descendants seeking compensation. In 2023, its top appeals court upheld a ruling against claimants in the former French colony of Martinique, today an overseas territory of France. It is the third time their case has been dismissed.
As French law stands, people claiming damages must be able to demonstrate specific, reparable harm they have suffered as a direct result of a criminal act or event. There are also conditions related to the amount of time that has passed and whether the law sets a limit on how long you have to make a claim.
