French President Emmanuel Macron acknowledged the devastating effect of a debt imposed on Haiti for its independence after 200 years. The debt was established in 1825, when King Charles X demanded that Haitian slaves pay an enormous sum for their freedom. This debt is unique in history, as it forces the descendants of enslaved people to compensate those of their former colonial masters.
President Macron called for a joint French-Haitian commission to examine two centuries of history, including the impact of the 1825 indemnity on Haiti. The commission will lead historians Yves Saint-Geours and Gusti-Klara Gaillard Pourchet to submit recommendations with the goal of learning lessons and building a more peaceful future.
However, there was no indication that France would offer Haiti any financial reparations. This announcement comes after a 14-month investigation by The New York Times found that the accumulated debt paid over six decades to French banks is estimated at $560 million in 2022 dollars.
The investigation estimated that if this money had stayed in Haiti and been invested locally, it could have contributed between $21 billion and $115 billion in Haitian economic growth. France’s officials did not respond to the findings at the time, but a task force established by the Foundation for the Remembrance of Slavery is now working on a report.
The acknowledgment from Macron comes as Haiti struggles with the consequences of devastating earthquakes and a political crisis. The country faces acute hunger, with 20% of its population displaced due to violence. Former transitional president Leslie Voltaire expressed relief that Macron brought up the debt issue during their meeting in January.
Macron’s predecessor, François Hollande, acknowledged the Haitian payments in 2015, but later clarified that he was referring only to the “moral debt” France owed to Haiti, not financial compensation. This acknowledgment has sparked a call for reparations from mayors of former slave ports and other officials.
The existence of this debt remains largely unknown in France, where it is seen as a painful history that must be acknowledged and addressed.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/17/world/europe/france-haiti-debt-macron.html