Overview

• On April 17, 2025, Emmanuel Macron formally recognized the 'initial injustice' of the 1825 indemnity imposed on Haiti in exchange for its independence.
• Macron announced the creation of a joint Franco-Haitian commission of historians to evaluate the indemnity's historical and economic impacts and make recommendations.
• The indemnity, initially set at 150 million francs-or and later reduced to 90 million, forced Haiti into high-interest loans and payments lasting until 1952, severely hindering its development.
• While Haitian civil society and academics have long demanded recognition and restitution, Macron has not committed to financial reparations, pending the commission's findings.
• Haiti, currently grappling with political, security, and humanitarian crises, continues to face the enduring consequences of the 'double debt' and its entrenched neo-colonial dependency.