Germany has officially acknowledged that it committed genocide during its colonial-era occupation of Namibia and has agreed to pay financial support, the BBC reports.
German colonizers killed tens of thousands of Herero and Nama people there in early 20th century massacres.
Foreign Minister Heiko Maas on Friday acknowledged the killings as genocide.
“In light of Germany’s historical and moral responsibility, we will ask Namibia and the descendants of the victims for forgiveness,” he said.
Mr Maas added that Germany would, in a “gesture to recognize the immense suffering inflicted on the victims”, support the country’s development through a programme worth more than 1.1 billion euros.
The agreement will reportedly see funding paid over 30 years through spending on infrastructure, healthcare and training programmes benefiting the impacted communities.
Friday’s statement came after five years of negotiations with Namibia – which was under German occupation from 1884 to 1915.
Then known as German South West Africa, the atrocities committed there have been described by historians as “the forgotten genocide” of the early 20th Century.
