EU Statement – UN General Assembly 3rd Committee: Interactive Dialogue with the Chairs of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination and Intergovernmental Working Group on Effective Implementation of the Durban Declaration & Programme of Ac

Thank you Chair, 

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union and its Member States.

The European Union wishes to congratulate Mr Gün Kut for his election as the new Chair of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, and to thank him and the Committee for their work. We also wish to thank Ambassador James Ndirangy Waweru, Chair-Rapporteur of the Intergovernmental Working Group on the Effective Implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action, and the Secretariat for its status report on the elaboration of the draft UN declaration on the respect, protection and fulfilment of the human rights of people of African descent.

The EU remains fully committed to combating racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance in all its forms.

The EU will continue to strongly oppose and step up action to combat all forms of discrimination, with specific attention to multiple forms of discrimination, including on grounds of race, religion or belief.

We constantly reaffirm this commitment, including through our new EU Anti-Racism Strategy 2026-2030.

Mr Gün Kut,

The EU reaffirms its strong support for the Committee and its mandate. The International Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination remains a living instrument and the universal framework to collectively prevent and eradicate racism. In this respect, the EU reiterates its call for universal ratification and effective implementation of the Convention. 

Mr Waweru,

We thank you for your leadership and the constructive manner in which the Working Group has begun the second reading of the draft declaration on the human rights of People of African Descent. The EU notes the work which has gone into a substantive draft text.

The report, however, shows that much work remains. It is critical to take the time to discuss thoroughly outstanding issues, to achieve broad support for the text.

We remain committed to engaging meaningfully in these negotiations in a spirit of collective responsibility, to reach an agreed draft advancing the fight against racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia, antisemitism and related intolerance for all.

We also welcome the participation of technical experts such as OHCHR for their useful input on the character of declarations, collective rights, and environmental rights. We encourage the Working Group to pursue this practice.

As we have consistently stressed, any future declaration must be fully aligned with existing international law. We must remain cautious not to create new rights that would not apply to all human beings, as human rights are universal, inalienable, indivisible and interdependent.

The EU’s constructive engagement in these negotiations does not prejudge their outcome.

Mr Chair,

The EU reiterates its call to streamline the follow-up mechanisms to the DDPA and focus on strategies to ensure their effective complementarity, efficiency and concrete outcomes. Our common goal must be to improve the efficiency of our fight against racism.

Allow me to pose two questions to Mr Waweru:

With many provisions still bracketed, how do you intend to progress with the second reading of the draft declaration, for instance through prioritization or informal facilitating on the most sensitive issues? And what timeline do you foresee?

Thank you.