“The world must confront the enduring consequences of slavery, colonialism, and racial discrimination through concrete measures to deliver reparatory justice grounded in international human rights law,” Guterres said, Anadolu Agency reported.
Speaking at a high-level UN meeting marking the 25th anniversary of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action, Guterres said racial discrimination takes various forms, including inequality, discriminatory laws and institutions, and the denial of rights and equal opportunities.
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He also warned that digital technologies can amplify hate speech and disinformation, spreading harmful stereotypes and contributing to violence and abuse.
Guterres urged governments to strengthen anti-discrimination laws, address systemic discrimination and invest in more inclusive societies.
He also called on technology companies to identify and address bias in artificial intelligence systems and ensure that digital technologies support equality and inclusion.
The UN chief urged countries to make the second International Decade for People of African Descent a period of concrete change and called for universal ratification and full implementation of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination.
The United States is boycotting the commemoration. US Ambassador for Management and Reform Jeff Bartos said Washington would not participate because of what he described as the Durban conference’s “poisonous legacy.”
Bartos also urged other countries to reject what he characterized as the conference’s anti-American and anti-Western legacy.
The US withdrew from the 2001 World Conference Against Racism in Durban, citing concerns over the treatment of Israel and Western countries at the conference.
