French President Emmanuel Macron says he will establish a committee to study the impact of the large debts imposed on Haiti in exchange for independence just 200 years ago.
Macron said a panel of French and Haitian historians would make recommendations to build a more “peaceful future.”
Haiti gained independence from France in 1804, but in 1825 France ordered the previous colony to pay 150m of gold francs to compensate French slave owners and ensure hostilities.
Debts that were not repaid until 1947 helped Haiti become one of the poorest and most unstable countries in the Americas.
Debt is a source of anger among Haitians, and has called on France to pay back the money.
It is unclear whether the committee’s financial reparations are on the table.
The French regime acknowledged the historical errors of slavery in Haiti and other former colonies, but avoided a real debate about whether to return “independent debt.”
Macron said the debt “payed the freedom of the young country, but in this way, from its beginning, it faced the unjust power of history.”
“Once this necessary and essential work is completed, the committee will propose recommendations to both governments, allowing them to learn from them and build a more peaceful future,” he added.
In an interview with Le Monde on Thursday, Haitian writer Monique Cresca said France has “losed influence on the world, especially in Africa. The former colonies have turned their backs.”
Macron could go to a way to change this by admitting “fraud” in his debt, she said.
“This perception does not erase the harm that has been done, but it can relieve the pain.”
Haiti is currently plagued by economic turmoil, barely functional political control, and increasingly violent gang wars.
In 2024, more than 5,500 people died in gang-related violence in the Caribbean, and more than 1 million people fled their homes.
Haiti’s transitional presidential council is an institution created to reestablish a democratic order, with little progress towards organizing elections over the years.
