Racial discrimination

Following are UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ remarks, delivered by Courtenay Rattray, Chef the Cabinet, to the fourth session of the Permanent Forum on People of African Descent, in New York today:

In Ecuador, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs’ UN Disaster Assessment and Coordination team reports at least 150,000 people have been impacted by the massive oil spill in Esmeraldas in March and need humanitarian assistance.

The poison of racism remains in the veins of global institutions, laws and everyday practices and must be fought in all its forms, speakers urged the General Assembly today, as the body commemorated the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination in addition to taking action on three draft texts.

A new sculpture exhibition featuring artists from across the African diaspora is now open at United Nations Headquarters in New York and will run until 25 April, honouring the resistance of enslaved Africans and the powerful voices of their descendants, whose leadership and cultural innovations enrich our societies today.

Following is UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ message for the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, observed on 21 March:

The Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian, and Cultural) concluded its session today by approving seven draft resolutions — including measures aimed at eliminating racism and addressing the world drug problem — bringing the total number of those texts forwarded to the General Assembly for adoption to 49.

The United Nations’ anti-racism commitment must extend to the Palestinian people, an independent expert told the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian, and Cultural) today, underscoring the need to combat deep-rooted racism against them within international policies, media narratives and institutional frameworks.

Following is UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ message at the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial in Poland, for Holocaust Memorial Day for Roma and Sinti, observed today:

In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the United Nations Mission (MONUSCO) continues their vital work protecting civilians in the country’s east. Earlier this week, MONUSCO deployed in Tche and Logo-Takpa, in Ituri Province, in support of the Congolese Armed Forces following a string of attacks by CODECO combatants.

Following is the text of UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ video message on the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, observed 21 March: