Belgian King Philippe and his wife Queen Mathilde having recently led a delegation on a week-long visit to the Democratic Republic of Congo to try to recalibrate the relationship between the two countries after a dark colonial past. The AFP news agency reports that the king expressed regret for the “paternalism, discrimination and racism” of colonial-era Congo, saying that it had “led to abuse and humiliation,” but falling short of offering a full apology. For an article detailing more about Belgium’s history in the DRC, as well as the reparations they are offering their former colony, visit the News Blog page on the Future Media website.
