"It's not new that I think there should be recognition on the part of the former colonizing powers that led the sad slave trade", stated the agricultural engineer, pointing out the need for them to recognize that slavery was "a crime against humanity" .
For this former member of the Council of the Republic in President João Lourenço's first government term, after this recognition, the former colonizing powers must "formally apologize" regarding slavery, particularly the case of the former Portuguese colonies.
"Secondly, [one must] analyze to what extent these former colonizing powers should assume a role, I wouldn't call it reparation, but a role that would allow newly independent countries, especially Portuguese-speaking ones, to face their difficulties", he told Lusa.
Stressing that the former Portuguese colonies struggle with many difficulties, Fernando Pacheco, 74 years old, considered that it is not "unreasonable to think about relationships that allow these countries to face the complex problems that the colonial past and today's difficult circumstances bring".
In his opinion, the most important thing in this process is "not to think about money", but about solid actions, such as the awarding of scholarships to Angolan students, support for the education system in general or support for research, especially agricultural research.
"These are some of the examples that I think are not absurd, they are perfectly viable things and that would contribute a lot to improving the situation in our countries", he highlighted.
For Fernando Pacheco, academic and former senior member of the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA), "there is no money that can pay for reparations and the terrible evils of slavery" and insisted on aid to public and private institutions.
"[The] aid that would be provided to our countries should be channeled not only to public institutions, but also to civil society institutions that can, in some way, improve the democratic performance and culture of our countries, because, without this , the development of our countries will be very difficult", he declared.
Fernando Pacheco argued that this aid would be fundamental, especially due to the way in which Angola's political and economic elites "waste" current resources.
The issue of reparations to former colonies was revisited following statements by the President of the Republic of Portugal during the celebrations of the 50th anniversary of the revolution of April 25, 1974.
The Portuguese President, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, defended, on Saturday, that Portugal must lead the process of assuming and repairing the consequences of the period of colonialism and suggested debt forgiveness, cooperation and financing as an example.
However, the Government led by social democrat Luís Montenegro stated that "there was and is not in question any process or program of specific actions with the purpose" of reparation for the Portuguese colonial past and that it will be guided by "the same line" as previous executives .
