Dutch King issues historic apology for Netherlands' colonial and slave trade past
Dutch King Willem-Alexander has formally apologized for the Netherlands' involvement in the slave trade and its profiting from it, on the 160th anniversary of the abolition of slavery. The move follows Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte's apology in December, marking a U-turn from his previous stance. The government, however, has stated that it will not consider paying reparations to its former colonies, despite a recent study suggesting the House of Orange owes $600 million to the colonies it governed. The Netherlands had a vast colonial empire that included countries such as Indonesia, South Africa, Curaçao, New Guinea, and Suriname.