Conference on Belgian colonialism and accountability gets underway in Baku

An international conference titled "Belgian Colonialism: Acknowledgement and Responsibility" has kicked off in Baku, Report informs.

The event, organized by the Baku Initiative Group (BIG), brings together representatives from Belgium's former colonies-the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, and Burundi-as well as diplomats and officials.

Experts in international law, historians, researchers, civil society activists, and specialists on reparations from eight countries are attending the conference.

Discussions are focusing on the atrocities committed during Belgium's colonial rule in Africa, including ethnic division policies, mass killings, and the plundering of cultural heritage, as well as the lasting effects of colonialism on these nations.

Participants are also addressing Belgium's continued neocolonial practices, the ongoing exploitation of resources in former colonies, and the need to bring the issue of compensation and accountability to the international agenda.