UN Secretary-General Urges Action Against Racial Discrimination
Antonio Guterres called for concrete measures to combat systemic inequality and colonialism as the United States boycotted the 25th anniversary of the Durban Declaration.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for concrete measures to address the enduring effects of slavery, colonialism, and racial discrimination during a high-level meeting marking the 25th anniversary of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action. Guterres urged governments to strengthen anti-discrimination laws and dismantle systemic inequality, while advocating for the universal ratification of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination.
Guterres also addressed the role of technology, calling on companies to eliminate bias in artificial intelligence systems to prevent the amplification of disinformation and hate speech. He stated that the world must confront these legacies through reparatory justice grounded in international human rights law.
The United States boycotted the commemoration. U.S. Ambassador for Management and Reform Jeff Bartos stated that Washington would not participate because of the 2001 conference's "poisonous legacy," specifically citing the treatment of Western countries and Israel during the original event.
