---
title: "Dutch government to apologise for role in colonial-era slavery"
description: "AMSTERDAM, Nov 4 (Reuters) - The Dutch government will apologise later this year for its role in slavery during the nation's colonial past, a member of Prime Minister Mark Rutte's Cabinet said on Friday."
type: "NewsArticle"
publisher: "Daily Maverick"
site: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za"
section: "Colonialism"
author: "Reuters"
author_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/author/reuters/"
canonical_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2022-11-04-dutch-government-to-apologise-for-role-in-colonial-era-slavery/"
published: "2022-11-04T14:32:18"
lang: "en-ZA"
word_count: 144
---

# Dutch government to apologise for role in colonial-era slavery

> AMSTERDAM, Nov 4 (Reuters) - The Dutch government will apologise later this year for its role in slavery during the nation's colonial past, a member of Prime Minister Mark Rutte's Cabinet said on Friday.

By Reuters · Published 4 November 2022, 16:32 SAST

## Content

Minister for Legal Protection Franc Weerwind confirmed a report by broadcaster RTL that the government planned to make a formal apology in December.

The government also plans to spend 200 million euros on a fund promoting awareness about the colonial power's role in slavery and 27 million euros to open a slavery museum, RTL reported.

The decision follows the [recommendation last year by an advisory panel](https://www.reutersconnect.com/all?search=all%3AL2N2OD11S&linkedFromStory=true) that the government acknowledge that the 17th-19th century transatlantic slave trade amounted to crimes against humanity, and that the Dutch government apologise.

It is a "big moment and a beautiful moment," Weerwind was quoted by news agency ANP as telling journalists in The Hague on Friday. By apologising, the government will "open the page to a shared future. You do that together and you do that by making this statement."

(Reporting by Anthony Deutsch; editing by Jason Neely)