Europe can only fix its relationship with Africa if it exorcises its colonial ghosts | Shada Islam

Paternalism and racism must be tackled if the EU is to rebuild trust with a young, economically dynamic continent

Black Lives Matter protests last summer sparked an uncomfortable reckoning for many European nations with a legacy of slavery and colonialism.

Excavating this dark history via revised school curriculums and initiatives such as Black History Month is difficult. But it is badly needed, and not just to dispel the self-congratulatory and entirely false narratives about Europe's civilisational" past still being driven by nationalist and populist politicians.