French President Emmanuel Macron has cautioned against reducing slavery reparations to mere financial compensation, stating that historical justice must encompass truth-telling, education, memorialisation, and restitution.

Speaking on Thursday, June 18, 2026, at the UN High-Level Consultative Conference on "Next Steps" for enslaved Africans, Macron argued that reparative justice should not end with monetary payouts.

"History cannot be reduced to a simple accounting ledger," Macron said.

"Making reparations is about placing this importance of scientific and historical truth; building monuments, teaching, researching. It means returning the works of art that were stolen during those periods."

The French President noted that reparations can take multiple forms to acknowledge historical wrongs, referencing similar viewpoints shared by Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama.

He emphasised that financial settlements should not be used as a definitive endpoint to the issue.

"It can be approached from multiple perspectives, but in no case should it be seen as an endpoint, a cheque written to bring the story to a close," he stated.

As an example of ongoing efforts to address unresolved historical grievances, Macron cited France's current engagements with Haiti.

He concluded by reaffirming France's commitment to supporting global initiatives for historical recognition and reparative justice.

"The history will live on and we must continue to bear its names, memories, faces and to make amends, make progress and discuss the future," Macron said.

"You can count on France."