اللجنة الثالثة، الجلسة العامة التاسعة والثلاثون – الجمعية العامة، الدورة 81
الجمعية العامة
Date: 4 November 2026
Language: English
Transcript: https://transcripts.un.org/ar/ga/c3/81/39?lang=en
Transcripts available through this tool are created by using automatic speech recognition and are not official records nor official documents of the United Nations. Official records and official documents are available on the Official Document System of the United Nations.

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3rd Committee · Chair [10:30]:

You can feel the lightning. Good morning. The 39th meeting of the Third Committee at the 81st session of the General Assembly is called to order. I invite the Committee to continue its joint consideration of agenda item 68, entitled “Elimination of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance,” and its sub-items (a) and (b), and agenda item 69, entitled “Right of peoples to self-determination”. The Committee will hear three introductory presentations on people of African descent and racial justice before proceeding to a joint interactive dialogue, during which delegations can make comments and pose questions to any or all presenters. Following the combined dialogue with the presenters and people of African descent and racial justice, we will hear the presentation of the chair rapporteur of the Working Group on the use of mercenaries as a means of violating human rights and impeding the exercise of the right of peoples to self-determination, followed by an interactive dialogue. We will now hold the combined briefing by the presenters and peoples of African descent and racial justice. I welcome our distinguished speakers. the Chair of the Permanent Forum on Peoples of African Descent, Ms. Gynel Curry; the Chair of the Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent, Ms. Abell Mamadou; and the Chair ad interim of the International Independent Expert Mechanisms to Advance Racial Justice and Equality in Law Enforcement, Ms. Tracy Keesey. Participants wishing to make comments and pose questions to any or all speakers are invited to press their microphone button within the next 10 minutes. After which, the list will be closed. Time limit for each speaker will be announced before the floor is given to the first intervention. Thank you for your cooperation. I first invite the Chair of the Permanent Forum on the People of African Descent, Ms. Ganelle Carrey. Ms. Carrey, you have the floor.


PFPAD · Chair [17:39]:

Madam Chair. Excellencies, distinguished delegates, it is an honor to present the annual report of the Permanent Forum on People of African Descent. The famed US Congressman and activist, John Lewis, is quoted as stating the following: "When you see something that is not right, not fair, not just, you have to speak up. You have to say something. You have to do something." The Permanent Forum's message this year is clear. Since our inception, we have spoken loudly and clearly about the need for reparatory justice and to end systemic racism. We are now at the stage of implementation and action, action with regard to commitments already made to advance the human rights, lives, and livelihoods of people of African descent. Regrettably, Racial injustice, systemic exclusion, and structural discrimination persist. Hate and hate speech appear to be louder. Historical truths are increasingly contested, and legal protections once considered settled are being questioned and dismantled. The Permanent Forum on People of African Descent reflected on the commitments made at Durban 25 years ago during our annual session held in April 2026, alongside the themes of reparatory justice and cultural heritage, youth of African descent as rights holders and agents of change, and the Permanent Forum at five mandate achievements and opportunities. Allow me to briefly share the outcomes of these discussions. The Permanent Forum welcomes the call for implementation and action in the political declaration adopted one month ago in the context of the 25th.

Anniversary of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action.

We contend that implementation of the DDPA should be linked to broader global priorities, including the 2030 Agenda, international financial reform, and climate action, to ensure that people of African descent do not remain invisible in these important global frameworks. In this regard, we call on Member States to fully and effectively implement the DDPA. through concrete legislative changes and institutional reforms based on disaggregated data, with effective monitoring, follow-up, and accountability mechanisms. Member States should also ensure the meaningful, inclusive, and safe participation of civil society in implementing the DDPA. Excellencies, Reparatory justice and the restitution of cultural heritage continues to be central to the work of the Permanent Forum. We call on all stakeholders to facilitate the return of cultural heritage, including the archives and human remains that were stolen from Africans and its diaspora. We encourage states to review legal frameworks that impede restitution claims and to ensure that people of African descent are actively involved in decisions concerning cultural property associated with their ancestors. We especially welcome the building momentum in deepening the understanding of reparatory justice, including the General Assembly resolution 80/250, declaring the trafficking of enslaved Africans and racialized chattel enslavement of Africans as the gravest crime against humanity, the revised CARICOM 10-point plan for reparatory justice, the AU proclamation of a decade of reparations for Africa and the diaspora, the general recommendation 40 of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination recommendation on reparatory justice. Regarding youth of African descent, we recommend meaningful and inclusive youth participation at all levels of decision making, including through youth advisory bodies and other mechanisms that enable young people to contribute to policy development and implementation. Education came out as a key recommendation with regard to youth of African descent, in particular, the need to decolonize education and reform curricula to include histories of black people, as well as contemporary impacts of enslavement and colonialism. Excellencies, the Permanent Forum is the UN's largest platform dedicated to promoting the human rights of people of African descent, bringing together more than 4,000 participants from over 130 countries in its first five years. This has enabled diverse stakeholders to discuss and collectively identify priorities, shape recommendations, and contribute to a shared agenda for action for them, for themselves. In our last session, the Permanent Forum discussed its continued value and its future. At a time of growing backlash against racial justice, disparity, and inclusion, and where multilateralism itself faces growing pressure, the Permanent Forum should be strengthened, not weakened. This came through clearly in the High Commissioner's report on the Permanent Forum's modalities, which recommended extending its annual session to five years. We meet four days a year. That's it. We're asking for one additional day. Enabling hybrid participation to have more participation from persons in various parts of the globe, and strengthening Secretariat capacity and support for stronger youth engagement, among others. Building on this, we also call on Member States to strengthen the Permanent Forum by explicitly including reparatory justice as part of its mandate. During the reporting period, we continued our engagement in the development of the draft United Nations Declaration on the Respect, Protection and Fulfillment of the Human Rights of People of African Descent. We conducted civil society consultations in the draft declaration to inform the draft declaration. We did those consultations in Brazil, Canada, and Colombia, and we will soon be going to Brussels for regional consultations with civil society. This issue involves all three continents: Africa, Europe, and the Americas. Given the limited participation of civil society in the intergovernmental negotiations on the draft declaration, these consultations are crucial in bringing their voices and bringing the voices of civil society to the table. We encourage Member States to advance this important process under the framework of the second international decade so that we have a declaration on the human rights of people of African descent. Excellencies, as I said, our report is ultimately a call to action, to move from commitment to implementation, from acknowledgement of historical injustices to eliminating their continuing consequences. The political philosopher and revolutionary Frantz Fanon once wrote that each generation must discover its mission, fulfill it, or destroy it. the Permanent Forum calls on Member States to fully recommit to a mission of dignity, equality and justice for all people, including people of African descent. I thank you.


3rd Committee · Chair [26:09]:

I thank the Chair of the Permanent Forum on People of African Descent. I next invite the Chair of the Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent, Ms. Isabel Mamadou. Mamadou, you have the floor.


WGEPAD · WGEPAD · Chair [26:22]:

Thank you very much.


Speaker 5 [26:24]:

Spanish.


WGEPAD · WGEPAD · Chair [26:28]:

Madam Chair, Excellencies, Distinguished Delegates, It is an honour to address the Third Committee of the General Assembly on behalf of the United Nations Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent. The Working Group was established on the conviction that the commitments made at the Durban Conference must be translated into concrete measures that improve the lives of millions of people of African descent. As part of that mandate, I will now present the main activities undertaken since our last report to the Assembly. Since November 2025, we have held two sessions in Geneva. Our 37th session focused on the racialization of migration and human mobility. And at our 38th session, we commemorated the 25th anniversary of the Durban Conference and examined progress in reparatory justice. We also held an expert consultation on the land rights of people of African descent, which made it possible to go into more detail on the importance of protecting their historical, ancestral and cultural ties to their lands. In May of this year, we conducted an official visit to Mexico, where we observed significant progress, particularly in the constitutional recognition of Afro-Mexican peoples and communities. However, That recognition must still be reflected in more effective participation, stronger measures to combat racial discrimination, and progress in terms of historical memory and reparations. We have also actively contributed to the draft United Nations Declaration on the Human Rights of People of African Descent, and we have strengthened our collaboration with civil society and other human rights mechanisms to advance the objectives of the Second International Decade for People of African Descent. This work has also included communications to states, public statements, and joint declarations marking key international observances. I would also like to highlight the 23 bilateral meetings held in 2026 with representatives of member states, which we hope will result in greater cooperation and concrete commitments to support our mandate. Excellencies, I'd like to share the main findings and recommendations of our report on people of African descent in global migration and the persistent architecture of racialization. For more than four centuries, tens of millions of people were forcibly taken from the African continent to be enslaved in different parts of the world. Slavery and colonialism entrenched racial hierarchies that persist to this day. Their legacy continues to shape migration policies that determine who can move freely, who must risk their lives to cross a border, and who is subjected to surveillance, disproportionate checks, and criminalisation. Our report reveals a deeply troubling situation. The dangers faced by African migrants and migrants of African descent along migration routes are not inevitable. They are the result of policy choices that perpetuate racial discrimination. When safe and regular migration pathways are closed, migrants are forced to take increasingly dangerous routes. When border controls are externalised, risks and responsibilities are also shifted elsewhere. And when deportation becomes the usual response to regular migration, it creates a system of punishment that separates families, disrupts lives, and causes lasting trauma that can affect future generations. African migrants and migrants of African descent frequently face racial profiling, arbitrary detention, labour exploitation, violence, and deportations that may violate their rights. Many also face serious barriers to accessing international protection. For women and girls, the risks are even greater, because racial discrimination is compounded by gender inequality, which exposes them to sexual violence, trafficking, and other forms of exploitation. The use of AI, biometric systems, and surveillance technologies are increasingly used in migration management. But what is the point of speaking of smart borders when these technologies, instead of combating discrimination, end up by reproducing it? The Working Group therefore urges states to place human rights and racial justice at the heart of their migration policies. This means expanding safe and regular migration pathways, guaranteeing that migrants can access healthcare, education, labour protection and justice without fear of detention or deportation. New technologies must help to reduce inequalities, not reinforce them.

We therefore need to establish.

Independent mechanisms to oversee the use of surveillance technologies at borders, strengthen accountability for possible abuses, and ensure that victims of racial discrimination can have access to effective remedies. In conclusion, the Working Group wishes to emphasise that we cannot speak of repairing the injustices of the past while we continue to reproduce their consequences at our borders. Migration must therefore be part of discussions on reparatory justice. If we want to transform the structures that perpetuate the racialization of mobility, we must adopt migration policies that prioritize life, protect rather than punish, and recognize the humanity of all migrants. Madam Chair, that concludes my presentation, and I look forward to hearing from delegations. Thank you.


3rd Committee · Chair [32:49]:

I thank the Chair of the Working Group of Experts on the People of African Descent. I now invite the Chair ad Interim of the International Independent Expert Mechanism to Advance Racial Justice and Equality in Law Enforcement, Ms. Tracy Kazeem. Ms. Kazeem, you have the floor.


EMLER · Chair ad interim [33:07]:

Thank you, Madam Chair, distinguished speakers, excellencies, ladies and gentlemen. I am Dr. Tracy Kazeem, the Interim Chair of the Independent Expert Mechanism to Advance Racial Justice and Equality in Law Enforcement, or as we call, IMLER. And I'm honored to be returning to this esteemed committee to exchange views on racial justice with member states, international regional organizations, civil society or actors, and those advancing the rights of Africans and people of African descent. During the past year, the expert mechanism advanced its mandate through country engagement, advocacy, and institutional outreach. We conducted a country visit to Colombia and held our fifth annual session, including public consultations. that informed our fifth annual report. Through participation at international and regional forums, including the Permanent Forum of People of African Descent, the Commission on Narcotics Drugs, and the European Commission Against Racism and Intolerance, we've helped shape discussions on racial justice, policing, and drug policy. Alternatives to incarceration and restorative justice are some of the key issues that we covered. We furthermore strengthen our coordination with other UN anti-racism mechanisms through regular meetings and bilaterals. Turning to this year's reports, our fifth annual report examines the intersection between drug policy enforcement and systemic racism and its impact on Africans and people of African descent. Our report has 4 main components. First, it explores the historical and structural foundations of racial discrimination in drug policy, examining how the legacies of colonialism, enslavement, and racial hierarchy have informed the development of contemporary drug control regimes. It analyzes the racialization of certain drugs and populations, and the way in which narratives linking Africans and people of African descent to criminality have shaped law enforcement practices. The report also assesses the importance of militarized drug control strategies and the war on drugs, finding that these approaches have disproportionately targeted and racialized. Such historical and structural factors continue to underpin systemic racism in the enforcement of drug laws and policies today. Second, it analyzes how racial discrimination manifests itself across the entire drug control justice continuum, documenting disparities in police stops, searches, arrests, prosecution, sentencing, detention, and post-conviction consequences. The report finds that racial profiling, overpolicing of black communities, excessive use of force, and unequal criminal justice outcomes are persistent features in drug law enforcement. Third, it explores the intersectional dimensions of discrimination, highlighting how race interacts with factors such as gender, age, migration status, and socioeconomic marginalization, often resulting in compounding human rights violations. In particular, we find that youth of African descent are more among those most affected by overpolicing and excessive use of force in the context of drug law enforcement. And finally, the report highlights some national promising practices and emerging policy approaches that seek to address drug use and drug-related activities through human rights-based, evidence-informed, non-discriminatory frameworks, while tackling the structural and systemic forms of racial discrimination that permanent drug control systems. These include public health centered responses to drug use, the decriminalization of possession of personal use, diversion programs that favor treatment and social support over criminal sanctions, and measures to reduce racial disparities in policing, arrest, sentencing, and incarceration. Madam Chair, racial discrimination in drug policy enforcement is systemic rather than incidental. We call for the fundamental shift away from punitive and militarized approaches towards policies grounded in racial justice, human rights, public health, accountability, and community participation. Our concrete recommendations can be grouped into six key clusters. One, legal and policy reform, including the decriminalization of the review of drug laws. Two, Policing and criminal justice reform, including the elimination of racial profiling, strengthen oversight mechanisms, and greater accountability. Three, alternatives to detention, with increased investment in health and community-based responses. Four, data monitoring and transparency, including the collection of disaggregated data to identify and address racial disparities. Five, participation, ensuring that Africans and people of African descent are effective communities, are actively involved in policy design and implementation. And six, redress and reparative measures aimed at addressing the long-term harms caused by discriminatory drug enforcement. We urge all member states to implement these recommendations. Moving on to our country report, we would like to thank Colombia for its genuine cooperation expended to the mechanism throughout our visit conducted in May, including through our exchanges with authorities, civil society, and affected communities. The mechanism recognizes the serious security challenges facing Colombia, particularly in territories affected by armed violence, illicit economies, and limited state presence. Nevertheless, predominantly punitive and militarized approaches to security and drug-related problems have resulted in serious human rights violations in the past, including a disproportionate impact on Afro-Colombian communities. Any expansion of security operations to address violence and drug trafficking must firmly be grounded in international human rights law and must not reproduce long-standing patterns of exclusion, racial profiling, or criminalization. We remain concerned by racial stereotypes associated with people of African descent, particularly young people with criminality and dangerousness. These stereotypes continue to influence police encounters, stops and searches, the use of force, the imposition of fines, and other sanctions across justice and effective remedies. Addressing security challenges therefore requires clear legal safeguards and independent oversight. Effective accountability and strict protections against racial profiling and unlawful use of force, and access to effective remedy for victims of rights violations. Drug control policies must also be based on human rights and public health, incorporating an ethnic racial perspective and ensure the meaningful participation of affected communities. In particular, the consequences of aerial spraying for health, food security, and the environment must be comprehensively assessed. Urgent measures are also required to address severe overcrowding and inadequate conditions in temporary detention facilities. We welcome Colombia's recognition of systemic racism and its initiatives on dialogue during protest, historical memory, and reparatory justice. We call on the Government to preserve and strengthen these gains and to use the report’s recommendations as a roadmap for advancing racial justice and equality. We look forward to our continued cooperation with Colombia and stand ready to support the implementation of these recommendations. Thank you, Madam Chair.


3rd Committee · Chair [40:38]:

I thank the Chair at the interim of the International Independent Expert Mechanism to Advance Racial Justice and Equality in Law Enforcement. I will now open the floor for questions or comments. on the three presentations just heard. As per past practice, I would ask the delegation to limit their comments to eight minutes. I thank you for your kind cooperation. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Nigeria, to be followed by Brazil and Costa Rica.


Nigeria [41:06]:

Thank you, Madam Chair. Nigeria aligns with the statement to be delivered by the African Group. We thank our distinguished chairs for their briefings and commend their respective mandates and their continued efforts to combat racism, racial discrimination, related intolerance, and to advance the rights and dignity of people of African descent. Nigeria underscores the importance of confronting the enduring consequences of slavery, the transatlantic trafficking of enslaved Africans, and colonialism. In this regard, we welcome the General Assembly resolution 80/250, which recognizes the trafficking of enslaved Africans and the racialized chattel enslavement of Africans as the greatest, gravest crime against humanity. This represents an important step toward confronting historical injustices and advancing meaningful dialogue on reparatory justice. Nigeria also stresses the need to combat negative stereotypes, racial prejudice, and discriminatory narratives about people of African descent. These portrayals perpetuate stigma, undermine dignity, and reinforce systemic racism. We must promote accurate, balanced representations that recognize their history, cultural diversity, and contributions to humanity. This requires sustained effort in education, public awareness, intercultural dialogue, and responsible media engagement. We further emphasize the importance of strengthening coordination among various anti-racism mechanisms to ensure complementarity and avoid duplication, while translating their recommendations into practical measures and measurable progress. Now to our distinguished chairs and briefers, I would like to pose this question. How can the mechanisms strengthen your coordination and engagement with member states? particularly African countries, to ensure that efforts to address historical injustices, negative stereotypes, and systemic discrimination translate into tangible and lasting outcomes. I thank you, Madam Chair.


3rd Committee · Chair [43:19]:

I thank the distinguished representative of Nigeria. I now give the floor to Brazil.


Brazil [43:25]:

Thank you, Madam Chair. Brazil thanks the briefers for their reports and recommendations. My country values the work of the Forum and its engagement with international stakeholders as key elements in the promotion and protection of the rights of people of African descent, a top priority for Brazil. Regarding the deliberations of its fifth session, we reaffirm that the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action remains one of the main frameworks for combating traditional and contemporary forms of racism, including digital and environmental racism. and that its full implementation continues to be a challenge. Brazil welcomes the recommendations on reparatory justice, which address historical and contemporary harms through measures such as guarantees of non-repetition, affirmative action, and climate justice. Brazil also welcomes the report of the Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent on racial discrimination and global migration, as well as the report of AMLAR on racism and drug control. Both address highly relevant issues with significant adverse impacts on people of African descent. Regarding the working group's report, we share its concern that current migration governance often falls short of human rights standards and reflects entrenched racism in border management. These challenges are exacerbated by the criminalization of migration and the invented use of artificial intelligence, contributing to serious human rights violations against Africans and people of African descent on the move. We support the recommendations to adopt inclusive rights-based migration frameworks. strengthen international cooperation, and ensure racial justice across countries of origin, transit, and destination. Brazilian migration policy is grounded in the recognition of migration as a human right, strictly rejecting its criminalization and prioritizing non-discrimination, human dignity, and social inclusion. Regarding the report of AMLAR, Brazil welcomes its intersectional approach to drug control, including its consideration of gender and intersecting grounds of discrimination. Drug control policies must never serve as a pretext for human rights violations, particularly against people of African descent and other vulnerable groups. Brazil remains committed to cross-cutting policies to combat racism and promote racial equality in public security. Through the Black Youth Alive Plan, we are implementing targeted, multisectoral actions to reduce violence and police lethality, safeguard the lives of young Black people, and reform security practices in line with international human rights standards. I thank you.


3rd Committee · Chair [46:32]:

I thank the distinguished representative for Brazil. I now give the floor to Costa Rica, to be followed by Spain and European Union.


Costa Rica [46:43]:

Madam Chair, Costa Rica thanks the rapporteurs, Isabelle Mamadou, Gaynell Curry, and Tracy Kissin for.

The presentations that they have made to us a few minutes ago. We celebrate Ana Rita Macala, the Costa Rican person who's been elected to the chair of the forum. In the framework of the Second International Decade for People of African Descent, we reaffirm our staunch commitment to the effective implementation of the DDPA through public policies that are inclusive and mechanisms that guarantee full, meaningful, and effective participation. According to ECLAC, in Latin America, 31.2% of the population of African descent lives in a situation of poverty, compared to 24.1% of the population that is neither indigenous nor of African descent. This gap shows the persistence of structural inequality and the need to strengthen public policies to ensure equality and non-discrimination. We therefore recognize the importance of addressing contemporary forms of discrimination, including those associated with new technologies. Ms. Currie and the other rapporteurs, I have two questions. One, what measures does the forum recommend to prevent and combat the new forms of racial discrimination, in particular those based on algorithms and biases connected with AI, which normally bring with them the prejudices that people of African descent face when they are used by people who are not of that descent. Secondly, Because of the pure myth of me having got to the United States, I am very concerned about the fact that we only talk about the negatives and never about the positives. And only the positives lead us to hope. And so therefore I would like to ask the three rapporteurs. In this statement.

On discrimination, we must not only talk about the improvements needed, but also about the positive developments.

Or if otherwise there is no hope.

Please comment.


3rd Committee · Chair [49:33]:

I thank the distinguished representative of Costa Rica. I now give the floor to Spain.


Spain [49:41]:

Thank you very much, Madam Chair. I'd like to thank the three speakers for their presentations and their reports. I'm going to focus on the report of the working group of experts on people of African descent. Above all, I'd like to say that Spain welcomes the fact that it's chaired by a Spanish citizen. In that context, Spain aligns itself with the statement of the EU and thanks the working group for its report. We share its concern about the racial discrimination. and the occasions on which migration and crime are linked. Spain thinks it's a matter of particular concern that there is a rise or an increase in hostile narratives. We're concerned that disinformation and stereotypes are contributing to hostile narratives that present migrants as a threat. This type of message offers a distorted view of reality. They erode the democratic quality and social cohesion, and they favour exclusion, intolerance, and violence. Both public policies and the social discourse must be based on objective criteria, not prejudices and erroneous concepts. And the Spanish Observatory of Racism and Xenophobia is therefore playing a vital role. In this context, Spain is opting for orderly and circular migration to cover work employment needs with collaboration between host, destination, and transit countries. We think it's very important to increase safe and orderly routes. increase cooperation against trafficking, and pay special attention to intersectional forms of discrimination that affect women, girls, and boys of African descent. The guarantee of fundamental rights, of effective management, and effective management of migratory flows are not opposing goals, they actually complement each other and mutually reinforce each other. Because of all of the above, we will carry on working for integration and rejecting xenophobia. Lastly, I have a question for the chair of the working group, but I'd also welcome the observations of the other speakers. The question is as follows.

What good practices has the group?

Identified to stop or prevent the discourses that present African and migrants and migrants of African descent as a threat? And what role can the national observatories play in that, as well as the media and digital platforms, with full respect for freedom of expression? Thank you very much.


3rd Committee · Chair [52:54]:

I thank the distinguished representative of Spain. I now give the floor to European Union, to be followed by Peru and Venezuela.


EU · EU [53:03]:

Thank you, Madam Chair. I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union and its Member States, and we thank all the speakers for their reports. We welcome Ms. Currie as Chair of the Permanent Forum on People of African Descent. We are looking forward to your visit to Brussels in November for your fifth regional consultation, following those in Barbados, Colombia, Brazil and Canada. We see this as an excellent opportunity to strengthen dialogue between the Permanent Forum and EU institutions, EU member states and European civil society. Colleagues are hard at work to organize a whole program of discussions covering the rights of people of African descent, and we see this visit as contributing to the objectives of the second UN International Decade for People of African Descent, 2025-34, themed Recognition, Justice, and Development. We are constantly striving for ways to overcome past differences and build understanding, so it would be good to hear from you, Ms. Currie, about what you hope to get out of your visit to Brussels and what expectations you may have. Then we welcome Ms. Mamadou as chair of the working group of experts. And we thank you for your report, Crossings and Journeys, on people of African descent in global migration. The EU's migration policy, notably the pact on migration and asylum, is human rights based and seeks to effectively manage migration and remain true to European values, in particular by respecting, protecting, and fulfilling human rights. Border management measures, including in the context of hybrid threats and the instrumentalization of migration, must remain necessary and proportionate. This human rights-based approach also guides our cooperation with third countries on migration, including through capacity building, independent monitoring, and support to civil society and national institutions. In this same spirit, the EU also supports IOM and UNHCR's whole of route approach to protection along migration routes. Your report touches on abuses resulting from the use of artificial intelligence. Which good practices on preventing racial profiling in border management would you encourage states to prioritize? And how can cooperation of member states with the working group help translate recommendations into practice? And finally, we welcome Ms. Kisi as chair of the expert mechanism, EMILA. We also acknowledge Ms. Akua Kuenyehia for her work in advancing racial justice and equality in law enforcement. The rule of law and an effective criminal justice system are essential pillars of our societies. However, their credibility and effectiveness depend on the equal treatment of all before the law. We therefore take seriously the report's findings on racial profiling and unequal treatment of Africans and people of African descent at different stages of the criminal justice process. The EU is committed to tackling structural racism as well as antisemitism, including through its anti-racism strategy 2026 to 30, which focuses on strengthening anti-discrimination measures and addressing racial bias, including in law enforcement. We recognize the importance of continued efforts to ensure that law enforcement policies and practices are consistent with human rights and the principle of non-discrimination? So the final question is, how can states ensure that reforms to counteract racism in counter-narcotics efforts address the systemic and institutional roots of racial discrimination? Thank you very much.


3rd Committee · Chair [57:53]:

I thank the distinguished representative of European Union. I now give the floor to Peru.


Peru [58:01]:

Thank you, madam Chair. Peru is grateful for the presentation of the report of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights on the promotion and protection of human rights of people of African descent, and the work of the independent experts, the working group, and the Permanent Forum on People of African Descent. We agree about the importance of promoting transformative measures to make progress towards justice and racial equality through a holistic and intersectional approach that makes it possible to address the various multiple forms of discrimination and the importance that that report gives to having data that are disaggregated by racial origin. Peru has taken a significant step forward by, in 2024, incorporating the recognition of the Afro-Peruvian people into its constitution, thereby reaffirming its respect for its cultural identity and its essential contribution to the construction of our nation. This recognition is supplemented by the national policy for the Afro-Peruvian people to 2030. This has been put together with the participation of its representatives and recognizes their cultural and political contributions, reducing ethnic and racial discrimination and strengthening, in particular, the autonomy and participation of Afro-Peruvian women. In 2025, Peru approved the Multisectoral Policy for Eliminating Racism by 2030, which is based on steps to combat ethnic and racial discrimination, strengthening the state's response and promoting a culture of respect and valuing cultural diversity. Peru reaffirms its commitment to the promotion and protection of human rights of people of African descent. in accordance with the principles of equality and non-discrimination. We will continue to work to ensure that the recognition of diversity is reflected in equal opportunities, dignity, and the full exercise of human rights of all. Thank you very much.


3rd Committee · Chair [1:00:16]:

I thank the distinguished representative of Peru. I now give the floor to Venezuela, to be followed by Namibia and Colombia.


Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) [1:00:24]:

Thank you, Madam Chair.

We're grateful for this discussion.

And we welcome the reporters and their reports. Venezuela is advancing in a new phase of dialogue, inclusion, and cooperation under the government of President Delcio Rodriguez, and we reaffirm our commitment to the fight against racism, racial discrimination, and related forms of intolerance.

Five years after Durban, we agree that the DTPA are the most complete framework in this area and that the main challenge is its effective implementation. We welcome the work of the Permanent Forum and its consultations with communities of African descent. on the draft declaration of the United Nations on the human rights of people of African descent, whose swift adoption we support.

We hope that the assessment of the modalities of the forum will strengthen it with the support and resources that it needs. We welcome the draft General Recommendation 40 of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination and the resolution of the Assembly that recognized the enslavement of Africans in the transatlantic trade as the gravest ever crime against humanity.

We also share the warning of Mrs. Mamadou about new forms of racism in digital systems. We'd like to ask Mrs. Currie, how the Forum's plan to follow up on the implementation of its recommendations is progressing, and like to ask Mrs. Mamadou what measures her group recommends to prevent algorithmic bias and discrimination in digital environments. Venezuela is recovering after the earthquakes of 24 June with the support of the United Nations. However, illegal UCMs are affecting more than a third of humanity, and they are a modern form of systematic discrimination. that undermines the capacities of states and limit their efforts. We therefore reiterate our call for the lifting of those measures without conditions and the promotion of dialogue and cooperation.

We reaffirm our commitment to multilateralism and our

readiness to cooperate with both mechanisms in the framework of the second International Decade for People of African Descent, 2025-34.

We're convinced that

mutual recognition, solidarity and dialogue among peoples will make peace and peaceful coexistence possible. Thank you very much.


3rd Committee · Chair [1:02:52]:

I thank the distinguished representative of Venezuela. I now give the floor to Namibia.


Namibia · Africa Group [1:03:00]:

Thank you, Madam Chair. I have the honour to deliver this statement on behalf of the African Group. The African Group thanks the mandate-holders and reaffirms its support for their mandates. Ms. Kerry, The group has read the report of the fifth session and supports the forum's recommendations before this assembly: a secretariat resource for disaggregated data, institutionalized partnership with African Union and CARICOM, a stronger mandate on Debun follow-up, reparatory justice included, a remit covering Africans as well as people of African descent, and funded youth participation. The group also supports the call for a mapping of colonial-era objects held in museums and archives, which serves the common African position on restitution. The African Union has invited the Forum to hold its sixth session in Addis Ababa. What does the Chair need from this Committee’s resolution so that the Forum arrives there with its mandate strengthened rather than trimmed? Ms. Mamadou, The working group's report on migration finds colonial hierarchy still at work in visa regimes, carrier sanctions, and controls pushed onto transit countries. The group endorses the call in paragraph 139D to end transactional externalization and to build frameworks with African countries of origin and transit as equals. With resolution 8250 adopted, The group would welcome your reflection on the form of reparatory justice mechanism recommended at your 35th session. Ms. Kisi, the ad hoc committee is negotiating racial profiling provisions in its draft protocol. Which findings from the mechanism's country visits should those provisions carry? I thank you.


3rd Committee · Chair [1:05:05]:

I thank the distinguished representative of Namibia. I now give the floor to Colombia, to be followed by Russian Federation and Canada.


Colombia [1:05:17]:

Thank you very much, Madam Chair. We thank the Chair of the Permanent Forum on Persons with Disabilities and the Chair AI of the International Independent Mechanism for promoting to advance racial justice and equality in law enforcement, and we also thank the chair of the working group. Colombia reaffirms its commitment to the fight against racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia, and related forms of intolerance. We also recognize that manifestations of racism and racial discrimination persist and require a sustained response from the State, also in the area of law enforcement. Colombia will advance towards strengthening state capacities in security, which we are convinced are not incompatible with racial equality or with international human rights obligations. The visit of the International Mechanism, EMLR, to our country took place in May 2026, and Columbia thinks it's essential that we clearly distinguish between observed findings, concerns that are preventive in nature, and assessments on policies that are effectively implemented, and that the latter are based on verifiable evidence and concrete results. Colombia will study the recommendations made by the mechanism. in accordance with its constitution, the competencies of its institutions, and the specific characteristics of the country, while fully exercising the state's responsibility to protect its population from armed groups, narco-trafficking, and criminal organizations that threaten the people's rights and freedoms and security. Colombia will continue to support and contribute to multilateral efforts to promote racial equality, integration, and full respect for ethnic and racial equality, and dialogue with human rights bodies as well. Thank you very much.


3rd Committee · Chair [1:07:27]:

I thank the distinguished representative of Colombia. I now give the floor to Russian Federation.


Russian Federation [1:07:33]:

Madam

Chair, we view the operations of the Permanent Forum and the Working Group of Experts on Persons of African Descent as well as the International Independent Expert Mechanism, as an important means for strengthening cooperation in the protection and promotion of the rights of persons of African descent. We are grateful for the report-related materials that have been drafted, including the report on systemic racism against Africans and persons of African descent in the enforcement of drug laws and policies. During the recent third Russia-Africa Summit, which was held in Moscow, the Russian President, Vladimir Putin, noted that the establishment of a multipolar world order is, of course, a complex endeavor, which is encountering resistance from states who are unwilling to accept this reality, those who have become accustomed to thinking in colonialist past mindsets and garnering incredible wealth at the expense of others, any, even the most The basis, most cynical methods are being leveraged. These include tariff warfare, legitimate sanctions, economic diktat, blackmail, and intervention in domestic affairs. Blatant manifestations of neocolonial practices of Western states. include attempts to keep developing states financially dependent upon others, the imposition of credit resources with deliberately predatory conditions, compel states to divert colossal means for debt servicing to the detriment of socioeconomic and humanitarian development programs. In this connection, we welcome the constructive efforts to conclude the development and prompt adoption of the UN Declaration on the Universal Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Persons of African Descent. We believe that this kind of a document can help to facilitate international instruments' efforts to eradicate inequality and discrimination. Thank you for your attention.


3rd Committee · Chair [1:09:39]:

English representative of Russian Federation, I now give the floor to Canada, to be followed by Germany and Mali.


Canada [1:09:51]:

I thank the Chair for the recent work of the Permanent Forum on Persons of African Descent and the Working Group of Experts. There's still a great deal of work that needs to be done in order to counter, say, systemic racism as well as structural inequality faced by persons of African descent. And in order to achieve the goals of the second international decade, we applaud consultations of the Permanent Forum, which were held in February in Toronto and in Ottawa, and we took note of the outcome report the prospects of the Permanent Forum and civil society, their contributions are of significance when it comes to discussions on the draft Declaration of United Nations on the respect, protection, and promotion, and enjoyment of human rights of persons of African descent. The commitment of Canada, recognizing the legacy of slavery and to the advancement of a dialogue on reparatory justice, is significant, and we shall continue to work alongside persons of African descent, as well as member states and civil society, in the spirit of partnership and mutual respect. The achievement of the goals of the second international decade will require sustained efforts undertaken by communities, as well as meaningful participation young people and children of African descent in the crafting of policies and programs which concern them. Canada is continuing to tailor a pan-governmental approach to advance recognition and justice, as well as development within the Black community. And this approach incorporates support for community-based initiatives which benefit children and Black children and families, and which also build the capacity of of Black person-led organizations for the benefit of Black communities. Canada welcomes the call of the working group for governance, migratory governance rooted in human rights, as well as dignity and non-discrimination, specifically to combat racial profiling, as well as those obstacles faced by persons of African descent. This year, we are marking the 75th anniversary of the 1950 Convention on the Status of Refugees, and as we do so, we wish to reaffirm our commitment to the respect for and promotion of this convention, as well as the principles thereunder of non-refoulement and non-discrimination for persons who fear persecution on such grounds as race or affiliation within a particular social group. Canada calls upon all states to see to it that refugees receive protection for them to be able to enjoy their rights, specifically access to identity documents and freedom of movement. And we encourage them to adopt policies and approaches which aligned with the Global Compact on Refugees? On the basis of the consultations that the Permanent Forum conducted, what specific challenges, what measures should States adopt as a matter of priority for the advancement of the goals of the Second International Decade on Persons of African Descent? And what measures should member states adopt as a matter of priority in order to ensure that children and young people of African descent are in a position to participate meaningfully in the drafting of policies and programs which concern them? And lastly, what lessons has the working group drawn vis-à-vis means to see to it that the new technology is being used in management and governance of migration for them to be developed and used in a transparent, non-discriminatory, and equitable way? Thank you.


3rd Committee · Chair [1:14:24]:

I thank the distinguished representative of Canada. I now give the floor to Germany, to be followed by Mali.


Germany [1:14:33]:

Thank you, Madam Chair. Germany aligns itself with the statement delivered by the European Union and thanks Ms. Curry, Ms. Mamadou, and Ms. Keesey for their reports. The reports underscore that addressing systemic racism, structural inequalities, and the challenges faced by people of African descent remain a critical task for everyone. Germany reiterates its commitment to translating these objectives into concrete action. We are revising our national action plan against racism to systematically integrate the priorities and goals of the second international decade. Furthermore, we are funding initiatives aimed at dismantling anti-Black racism, with special focus on structural barriers in the labor market and improved access to dedicated counseling infrastructure. In the same vein, Germany remains committed to addressing its colonial past, to acknowledging its historical responsibility, and to engaging further in active and constructive dialogue with states and societies affected by colonialism. It is against this backdrop that Germany, upon invitation of Gerna, co-hosted the side event "From Commitments to Action on Reparatory Justice: Advancing International Cooperation for the Return and Restitution of Cultural Properties and Heritage" during the UNGA High-Level Week in September. In March 2026, Germany created a National Coordination Council to actively facilitate bilateral dialogues on government level with the aim of returning artifacts and human remains from colonial contexts. Finally, Germany is ready to receive EMLA for a country visit over the course of 2027. We are looking forward to further exchanging views then. Madam Chair, I have two questions. What oversight tools can Member States use to prevent AI from causing racial bias at borders? And what training tools do you recommend to help law enforcement implement a human rights-based approach in drug policy? Thank you.


3rd Committee · Chair [1:17:06]:

I thank the distinguished representative of Germany and now give the floor to Mali.


Mali [1:17:14]:

Thank you, Madam Chair, for giving the floor.

Madam Chair, our delegation associates itself with the statements previously delivered by Namibia on behalf of the African Group. The delegation of Mali wishes to thank the mandate-holders for the high quality of their presentations, and we wish to reaffirm our support for their respective mandates. My country, Mali, has a history which sheds light on this dialogue. We had a Kankounyuga Charter, which dates back to the 13th century, which is a World Heritage inscribed by UNESCO. This charter ensures human dignity. Trafficking, colonialization, and slavery have marked my country, and hence our commitment to the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action, as well as the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. My delegation read with great interest the report of the fifth session. We support the recommendations and assessments submitted before our consideration, including the breaking down of resources and greater cooperation with CARICOM and greater follow-up for Durban, including addressing racial justice, the scope which covers both Africans and persons of African descent, including young youth participation. We also support the call for mapping the mapping and archives in world's archives and museums, which is of significance when it comes to preservation of heritage. To Madam Misonbazou, we are a country of origin and of transit, a number of our nationals live abroad, and we listened with attention to the report on migration, which highlights that the colonialist legacy continues to reverberate in visa arrangements and transport and control of persons deported to countries of origin, and we support paragraph 139. on ending the transactional externalization arrangements and building with countries of transit and origin cooperation frameworks between partners on equal footing for win-win partnerships. The 35th session recommended a UN mechanism to guide reparatory justice initiatives, and we welcome the resolution 80/250, which was adopted under the stewardship of Ghana, and we would also be grateful to learn about your thoughts regarding the subsequent efforts of the mechanism. For Madame Kessy, the Special Committee, it has been addressing racial profiling on the draft protocol. We would like to know about the conclusions of the visit of the countries and mechanism, as well as the provisions which should reflect, inter alia, vis-à-vis migrants of African origin who can be exposed within the areas. Madam Small, we pay particular attention to your mandate. We reaffirm our commitment to international law, to international humanitarian law, and human rights. We wish to recall the fact that our security partners underscore the need for respecting sovereignty and security of all countries, and we will look forward to reading your report. To conclude, we stand ready to constructively work with the mandate holders as well as with all delegations in a spirit of dialogue and a win-win partnership. Thank you.


3rd Committee · Chair [1:20:59]:

I thank the distinguished representative of Mali. I now give the floor to China, to be followed by Tunisia.


China [1:21:07]:

Chair. China thanks the briefers for their statements and commends the mechanisms for their efforts to protect the human rights of people of African descent and combat racism. People of African descent have made invaluable contributions to the development and progress of humanity. However, due to the legacies of colonialism, slavery, and the transatlantic slave trade, their lived reality is still marked by discrimination and injustice. instead of the fairness and justice they deserve. At the same time, global challenges such as violent conflicts, economic inequality, climate change, and technology divide have compounded the difficulties they face. Hence, the second international decade should be a decade of urgent action to right historical wrongs, deliver reparatory justice, and fully protect the rights of people of African descent. China endorses the recommendations of the mechanisms. The international community should bring about real change by accelerating the implementation of DDPA and combating all forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia, and related intolerance. Certain countries should address their systemic racism, combat racially discriminatory and xenophobic speech and acts, rectify discriminatory practices such as police brutality, and ensure victims’ right to fair and adequate reparations. China stands ready to join the international efforts to shape a world with equality for all and discrimination against none. Together, we can build a community with a shared future for humanity. Thank you, Chair.


3rd Committee · Chair [1:22:59]:

I thank the distinguished representative of China. I now give the floor to Tunisia.


Tunisia [1:23:04]:

Thank you, Madam President. I’d like to thank the briefers for their insightful presentations, and we align ourselves with the statement delivered by Namibia on behalf of the African Group. It’s a pleasure to address a panel composed exclusively of women. At least while we are still fighting for racial discrimination and defending the rights of minorities, we at least can congratulate ourselves for the progress made in terms of advancing women's rights and women leadership. This is really heartening to see this gorgeous panel composed of women, and I congratulate them for their presentations and the insightful remarks. We are supposed to be living in an era where every human being is treated equally, regardless the color of their skin, the religion they believe in, where their parents come from, or what they do for a living. Yet here we are, we are still discussing racial discrimination, racial profiling, and the inequalities that should no longer exist in our societies. And I think that we have implemented a lot of efforts to end the racial discrimination, and the inequalities still exist. We have made tremendous progress in recognizing human rights, but we have But have we made the same progress in ensuring that everyone actually enjoys them? This is the question that always crosses my mind every time I listen to a presentation talking about racial discrimination and racism in general. And there is a point that really struck me, and I would like to highlight it in my presentation, that is that the racial discrimination in law enforcement is systemic rather than incidental. And this is Shocking that today we talk about systemic racial discrimination, and I think that this is powerful reminder that discrimination is not always the result of individual prejudice. It can be deeply embedded in the institutions, the policies, and even in the technologies developed today in the name of progress and security. For Tunisia, human dignity must remain at the center of our collective efforts. We cannot ignore the historical legacies of slavery and colonialism, nor can we allow their consequences to continue shaping people's opportunities, their treatment by institutions, or their access to justice. And going back to the systemic discrimination, my question to our distinguished briefers is very simple. Drawing on your findings and your research and your work and you on the ground with people, with the institutions, what concrete measures have proven most effective in preventing racial profiling, strengthening accountability, and building trust between law enforcement institutions and the communities they serve? Thank you.


3rd Committee · Chair [1:26:15]:

I thank the distinguished representative of Tunisia, who was the last speaker for this combined briefing. I now invite the presenters of the combined briefing to respond to the comments and questions from the floor. I first give the floor to the Chair of the Permanent Forum on People of African Descent, Ms. Gail El-Karri. Ms. Karri, you have the floor.


PFPAD · Chair [1:26:36]:

Thank you very much, and I thank the delegations for their questions. I will attempt to answer some of them. I know that my colleagues would also do the same. I can't respond to all, but I will do my best. Let me start with Nigeria and how to strengthen coordination between the member states and the mechanisms. I think this is an important question. The Permanent Forum is a platform for dialogue and a consultative mechanism. We bring together civil society, other mechanisms, and we always have other mechanisms at our sessions, including those on the podium with me and others, and we always have Member States in the room, so that dialogue, we recognize, is important between all those constituencies, and having them at the table is really very important, with a particular reference to addressing the legacies of the past The Permanent Forum has a standing item on reparatory justice because this is really important to us, and we realize that addressing systemic racism and ongoing discrimination cannot be separate or separated from dealing with the issues of the past. Those are very intimately connected. The Permanent Forum reiterates that it can be a platform to do further. to do even more, but in order to do that, we are asking that we have at least an additional day to be able to do that. Calling for Member States also to engage more in terms of those mechanisms I mentioned or those tools I mentioned that seek to deepen the understanding of reparatory justice. I think that's really very crucial. Understanding what is GR 40, what is CERD speaking about, and how do they interpret systemic reparatory justice? Understanding resolution 80/250, what is the AU saying? What is the CARICOM Union saying in its revised 10-point plan? How can we engage with them to get a better understanding of where we're at? And to move the agenda forward in a cohesive way. We are all saying the same thing. It's about justice, it's about repair. And we encourage Member States to continue to work with us on these issues. The question from Costa Rica, what measures to prevent new forms of racial discrimination, especially with respect to AI and algorithms, algorithmic bias, we had in our session I think it was the fourth session, a specific focus on this issue, and we discussed how people of African descent are impacted or can influence the issues around AI and technology, special measures that explicitly address the intersectional impacts of AI and systemic racism, issues around profiling and so forth. We talked about. The Permanent Forum also called for the establishment of a UN coordinating group to look more closely at what AI means with respect to people of African descent, and how, in terms of racial equity, in terms of meaningful participation. We're not involved in the design of these things. How can we get more engaged in development, in the governance and evaluation of AI mechanisms? I think it's important for us to be there, not only to remind that it should not discriminate or act as a tool to facilitate discrimination, but to also say that we have a voice and we should be able to speak on how this is being developed. It will impact all of us, no doubt. Regarding the positive development that Costa Rica also asked, I would say despite the pushback, significant gains have been made in legislation, I think, and we've seen that as we've traveled to a number of regions. As was said, we've been to Barbados, Colombia, Brazil, Canada. and about to go to Brussels. In these contexts, we discuss and get a better understanding of what states are doing and what civil society is doing also to facilitate this. So looking at policies, laws, and specific actions that are being done at the national level, and to see how we can provide synergy. We are always surprised to see how people of African descent, regardless of where they are, face so many similar concerns, I say from Canada all the way to Brazil, and all in all the islands and states in between, we have found people of African descent challenged with the same concerns. With respect to the EU, and I wish to say a special thank you to EU for inviting us or allowing us to come. We've asked for this invitation. We've wanted this invitation for a while. I think it's going to be a very positive discussion. We're looking forward to it with much excitement. And having that discussion, we feel that, The EU has always been in the room with us at our session, I shall say that, but we would want to see even more, hear even more from European institutions and civil society on what this means to them, on how they can be engaged in moving this process forward. So we thank them for facilitating the consultations and for ensuring that the Permanent Forum can actively contribute in various spaces while there. The main focus and what we hope to gain is really to speak with civil society and European institutions and to get from them their concerns, and to feed that back into the discussions around or the negotiations on the declaration. We know that the European Union and European countries are very much active in the Intergovernmental Working Group, and I've sat in those meetings and heard them being very actively engaged in that. But what we would want to see is more more civil society representation. So we're hoping to speak really significantly with civil society across Europe, and we've gotten very, very positive responses so far. We're almost oversubscribed, which is positive. So not only us, we're looking for this, I think civil society were also looking for it. So we're excited to do it. So we expect to come up with practical recommendations to strengthen the draft declaration from the perspective of civil society. We've heard from governments, and we also want to hear equally from civil society. And that's the main point of our visit, and of course, to better understand how European institutions are understanding our call for reparatory justice and what that means, how they're interpreting this, and to also share with them what our understanding of it is, and to ensure that we're on the same page and speaking the same language on this issue. I know it's a lot of challenge there, but I think there's room for discussion, and going to Europe, i think, will help it. Going to Brussels will be an excellent opportunity for us to get a better understanding of where we all stand on the issue, particularly with respect to reparatory justice and systemic racism. I've also mentioned with some of the European colleagues issues around disaggregated data. I know that that's a challenge for some European states in terms of disaggregated data based on race, but we fundamentally believe that when we do not collect data for people of African descent, we run a risk of them being remaining invisible, particularly in development frameworks and in terms of accessing services and so forth. So we are hoping to have further discussions around that in Europe as well, better understanding how do you account for those persons who appear, in our view, to be visible in the data at this moment. With respect to Venezuela, how does the Permanent Forum plan to follow up on the implementation of its recommendations? We are doing this daily. We are fully committed to following up on implementation. We recognize that we are a body that is about consultations, that's about advocacy, that's about raising awareness, it's about bringing people together, bringing constituencies together. And so we have to work with partners to facilitate implementation. That's really clear. We, and I can say it, we do not have an implementing mandate per se, but we are following up on implementation with our partners because we know that this is not something that we can do alone. We work closely with UN entities, we work closely with our partners that are doing monitoring on the ground in our meetings. They are doing the kind of monitoring that we don’t get to do when we go to our consultations.

We are speaking with civil society, particularly about the declaration,

not about the status of human rights or the human rights situation of people in those countries, which respect to monitoring government's activities. So just to be clear on that. So we're working with our partners to facilitate monitoring. At the end of each session, we try to do a review, or we are doing a review, to group our recommendations that we've gotten from civil society and partners in the room to see how we can actually, we've gotten over 150 recommendations. and identified 300 concrete actions that we need to do, and we are building out partnerships with universities, with civil society, and broadly NGOs, and also with some governments that are willing to support us on those. And I'll just quickly wrap, I know I'm running out of time. I wanted to mention quickly to Namibia, and what does the chair need to strengthen, or what do we need to strengthen the mandate? I've said those already, and I want to reiterate those. We are asking for one additional day for the permanent forum. We meet four days a year, that's our mandate, no more. We are asking for one additional day, and I say that I know we're in financial crisis right now, but I don't think an additional day will break the bank. We're asking for a hybrid modality so that we can have others engaged.

We know that when we have 1,000 people in the room, and we

do have that, we have a couple of hundred online, or asking how can they join online,

and we say to them, we don't have the funding to allow you to join us online. We're asking to strengthen youth participation. A lot of the issues that we're talking about is about the youth. When we think about territory. reparatory justice, that's about the youth, that's about the future, that's not only about the past.

How will this impact the future generation? We know that reparations over the years have taken century for some countries to deliver, and they delivered that over a century. So we don't expect any reparatory justice to happen today,

this afternoon, but we expect this to be over generations, and we expect our youth to be fully aware,

informed, and engaged in the discussion so they can move this forward. It may not be any of us in this room that get it.

It may be our grandchildren, and we're happy to have that, to plan for the next generation to gain. We want to be able to finally, to be able to have our

strengthened by giving us the opportunity to follow more closely or to follow reparatory justice, specifically as a part of our mandate. And I'll end there. Thank you so much.


3rd Committee · Chair [1:38:17]:

I thank the Chair of the Permanent Forum on People of African Descent. I next give the floor to the Chair of the Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent, Ms. Isabel Mamadou.


WGEPAD · WGEPAD · Chair [1:38:28]:

Thank you, Madam Chair. Thank you for the valuable contributions of delegations, particularly the readiness of some States to adopt the recommendations in our report on global migration and the architecture. Let me respond to some of the questions and comments. With regard to the Spanish question about the good practices or undoing discourses of hate speech, it's necessary for global citizens to know about the contributions of persons of African descent to humanity. And we do that through country visits. We include encouraging in study plans the history of slavery, colonialism, and the contributions of people of African descent. We also recommend making progress in national strategies for truth and reconciliation that include the creation of museums and institutions to share the history and culture of people of African descent. We also think that it's necessary to change the narrative that promotes stereotypes into a narrative from institutions that puts emphasis on diversity. So adopting a narrative that helps people to understand and reinforce pluralism and diversity, cultural pluralism and diversity. With regard to the questions about the use of AI in the migration context, indeed, technology is not neutral, and facial recognition systems, biometrics, and profiling can even amplify bias and existing racial discrimination. So the fundamental principle is simple. Migrants must be treated as human, as rights holders, not as pieces of data. And therefore states must evaluate the impact of AI on human rights, guarantee transparency and independent monitoring. As I said in my presentation, we must ensure that when discrimination occurs, those affected have access to effective remedies. With regard to questions about racial profiling, the states must produce laws and policies that prohibit the use of race and ethnic origin as a basis for suspicions and decision making when they enforce the law. It must also inform people so that they recognize their own prejudices and inform them about international human rights standards that the police must respect. in carrying out their functions. There's also an assessment that we give view to the progress made, not just to that everything's left to do. Here, I'd like to remind you that since its establishment, the working group has carried out about 30 country visits and in all of our reports on country visits, as well as talking about the challenges of people of African descent and making recommendations to states, in all of those reports, we also refer to the progress made by the visited countries. Among those, there's efforts of some countries to make progress in reparatory justice, the creation of independent national human rights bodies, improvements in statistics, efforts to move forward with equality policies and policies to improve the effective participation of people of African descent. I also wanted to respond to the comment on the need for coordination and possible duplication among our mandates, because I understand that, because there's three mandates based on people of African descent, There could be a little bit of confusion, but the working group, the permanent forum, and EMLA have different mandates that are complementary. We don't do the same work. The working group was established in 2002 as one of the Durban mechanisms. to contribute to the fact that the commitments adopted in the DDPA are translated into concrete measures. We're a special procedure of the Human Rights Council with a mandate to investigate, supervise, and formulate recommendations to states. EMILA has a more specific mandate. mandate based on racial justice and human rights in terms of police action and other law enforcement bodies. And the public forum, as Dr. Gayle said, it's to allow people of African descent to present their concerns. and their proposals to the UN. So the three mechanisms contribute to fighting anti-Black racism, but they do it in different ways. The question is not to reduce the number of mechanisms, but to strengthen coordination among them while respecting their mandates and making use of their different capacities. Excellencies, distinguished delegates. Before I conclude, I just wanted to thank the Member States for the support received in terms of the recent three-year extension of the Working Group's mandate through a resolution adopted by consensus, because that extension is really recognition of our work. Since establishment, the Working Group has played a fundamental role in identifying, documenting, and reporting human rights violations that affect people of African descent. Throughout these years, we have been able to observe that the historical exclusion of Afro-descendant communities and peoples from the decisions that affect them, from their lands, from their resources, from their livelihoods, has direct consequences for sustainable development, social cohesion, the construction of peaceful and inclusive societies.

So I'd like to take the.

Opportunity, some delegates mentioned the future delegation of the United Nations on the human rights of people of African descent, to draw attention to a question that needs more international commitment. It's the recognition and protection of the collective rights of people of African descent. Those rights must have a priority place. both in the future declaration and in the implementation of the second international decade for people of African descent. It's precisely individual and collective rights to land that will be key to our 39th session, which will be 30th November to December 2026, and we'd like to invite the member states to participate in that session actively, delegations to make progress in our work, we need an international human rights system that is strong, independent, and capable of performing its functions without pressure or intimidation. And therefore, I'd like to express my profound concern about the measures that threaten the independence of international human rights mechanisms. And I'd like to condemn the sanctions imposed by the government of the United States against the International Criminal Court, including those directed at its judges. I also condemn the sanctions against France.

Albanese, the Special Rapporteur.

On the human rights situation in the occupied Palestinian territory, and the increasing attacks on special procedures of the United Nations. These actions are a violation of international law and they threaten the integrity of the international human rights protection system. So I call for all states to firmly reject these sanctions and refuse to apply them, and I urge the government of the United States to withdraw them immediately. Madam Chair, 25 years after the Durban Conference, racism has not disappeared. It has taken new forms, and it continues to reproduce inequality. Today more than ever, we need to defend international human rights mechanisms and transform our commitments into concrete actions.

Thank you very much.


3rd Committee · Chair [1:47:03]:

I thank the Chair of the Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent. I now give the floor to the Chair of the International Independent Expert Mechanism to Advance Racial Justice and Equality in Law Enforcement, Ms. Tracy Keesey.

Ms. Keesey, the floor is yours.


EMLER · Chair ad interim [1:47:18]:

Thank you, Madam Chair. The wonderful thing about being the last one is that my colleagues have done an incredible job of answering most, but not all of the questions. I do want to start with Costa Rica, if I could, because you mentioned something in regards to positive statements, especially when we talk about law enforcement, and this continuing feeling that somehow we are not supportive of the work, or there are things that we should be highlighting that works well. And to that point, I absolutely agree. Just a really brief refer back to my opening statement in regards to what are the wonderful things that are happening and what's being done. We talked about public health centered responses to drug use, decriminalization of possession of personal use, diversion programs, different types of social supports. And we do this when we do our country visits. We are absolutely adamant that we have to talk about what's working and what's working throughout the globe. So even in our country reports, most recent to Colombia, Brazil, Belgium, Italy, and Sweden, you will find our reports do house those particular focuses because we need to know what's working. It's important that what's working is shared, especially when we're talking about the safety of community and the safety of law enforcement. So I appreciate Costa Rica's ask of that question because I do think it's important. Another question that came up, especially around stereotypes and narratives, That was also asked and answered. It's critically important that law enforcement understands its historical role in colonialism in other areas in which we now have these relationships that are non-trusting, and in some cases, non-existent. Training for law enforcement is important, policies and adherence to policies around how community members are treated, not only that, but how do we understand who really does need protection and service? We talk about data collection, the disaggregation of that data is also equally as important. And when we have those types of things, we can begin to have the conversations around what are we really trying to address. Narratives are social constructs, they are someone's ideas and perspectives. of individual people. We know that this is salient with those of African and African descent, and there must be a concerted effort to actually just own not those particular things, but to make sure that we address them when they arise, that we do not let them influence policy so there's disparate impact when we're talking about providing service. I also want to, if I could, move really to Germany and the EU around technology. I think it should be well known or understood that law enforcement has really accelerated its use on technology, especially if you hear about what we consider to be LPRs, license plate readers, facial recognition, also known for us as tools that support the work. It is critically important that not only are there policies around how technology is used, but there is oversight. Oversight is necessary to keep folks from going in and misusing technology, from using it from any other means for which it is designated. It has to be. community-led oversight. And so that way, officers do understand that when something does happen with that technology, they'll be held accountable. Accountability is really big when we talk about how this is not only used, but how it's deployed as well. I'll also just lift up, in 2024, Emmler did host a conversation around technology and how it impacts those of African and African descent. That is everything from the creation and the building of that technology, who is responsible for deploying that technology, and the intent of the use of technology. I also want to, if I quickly could, make sure that folks understand, and I think you did an excellent job of describing what MLR does. So we were the expert mechanism that was established after the global recognition of Mr. George Floyd's homicide. It was not an isolated incident. It was actually a manifestation of something more deeper and systemic that most of us, not all of us, have either lived or have been a party to. But five years later, after the mechanism's development, the underlying patterns have not fundamentally changed. And rather than focusing on not just what has not changed, there has to be a concerted effort to move forward and to identify and to measure those things that do work. So for me and for those of us who are in EMLAR and my partner, we want to make sure that this concerns all member states. that we cannot, cannot back off of making sure law enforcement is not only practicing human rights, but recognizes human rights. And so with this, I ask that the member states don't push back in regards to what we know works, what we know needs to happen, and what we know law enforcement should be paying attention to. But member states should be supportive of all of the mechanisms sitting here. And what I heard today, that is very clear. So, Madam Chair, thank you. And that ends my statement.


3rd Committee · Chair [1:52:44]:

I thank the Chair at interim of the International Independent Mechanism, Expert Mechanism to Advance Racial Justice and Equality in Law Enforcement. Once again, I thank all speakers for joining the combined briefing today. I now welcome the co-rapporteur of the Working Group on the use of mercenaries as a means of violating human rights and impeding the exercise of the right of people to self-determination, Ms. Michelle Small. Participants wishing to make comments and pose questions to the speaker are invited to press their microphone button within the next three minutes, after which the list will be closed. The time limit for each speaker will be announced before the floor is given to the first speaker. Thank you for your cooperation. I now invite the Chair Rapporteur of the Working Group on the Use of Mercenaries as a Means of Violating Human Rights and Impeding the Exercise of the Right of People to Self-Determination to make an introductory statement. Ms. Mol, you have the floor.


UN Working Group on Mercenaries · Chair-Rapporteur [1:53:44]:

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, Excellencies, distinguished delegates, it is my honor to address you today in my capacity as the Chair Rapporteur on the Working Group on the Use of Mercenaries as a means of violating human rights and impeding the right of peoples to self-determination. From the outset, the Working Group would like to state that we unequivocally condemn sanctions placed against the International Criminal Court, as well as the prolonged sanctions against ICC judges and the Special Rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territory, Ms. Francesca Albanese. We also condemn increasing attacks against special procedure mandate holders more broadly. These actions violate international law and undermine the core integrity of the UN human rights system. The Working Group calls on States to decisively reject and refuse to enforce these sanctions and urges the immediate rescindment of them. Madam Chair, in our report before you, the Working Group draws attention to a deeply concerning trend. the growing convergence between mercenaries, mercenary-related actors, some private military and security companies, and transnational organized crime. We examine how these connections operate and the implications for human rights, self-determination, territorial integrity, and constitutional order. The message is clear: this is not simply an expansion of criminal activity. It is an evolving threat to the rule of law and international peace and security. Recent developments show that this convergence is growing at a time when states face increasing challenges in dealing with multiple security threats and crises. Concerningly, this convergence blurs a fundamental distinction, the boundary between warfare and criminality. When the legal status of those involved is unclear, accountability becomes more difficult, and the foundations of international law and international humanitarian law are put at risk. Mercenaries, mercenary-related actors, and some private military and security companies are providing sophisticated expertise to criminal networks, including military and tactical training, weapons handling, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance services, and logistical capabilities. When these skills serve criminal interests, organized crime becomes more powerful, more coordinated, and potentially more violent. The consequences are profound. States faced weakened institutions, corruption, threats to democratic governance, and growing pressure on law enforcement and judicial systems. But it is civilians who pay the highest price. They face killings, enforced disappearances, torture, arbitrary detention, sexual and gender-based violence, human trafficking, forced labor, and extortion. These are not merely security's concerns, they are direct assaults on human rights and human dignity. Madam Chair, the working group is particularly concerned by reports of mercenaries, mercenary-related actors, and some private military and security companies implicated in massacres of civilians, sexual violence against women and girls, the recruitment of children, and the looting and destruction of civilian property. often without accountability, justice, or effective remedy. At the same time, we are witnessing a troubling paradox. Some private actors are being contracted to fight organized crime, criminal networks, gangs, and cartels, while others facilitate, participate, and enable criminal activities. Two further developments require our urgent attention. First is the growing link between transnational organized crime and state criminality. Some states use criminal entities, inclusive of mercenaries, mercenary-related actors, as well as private military and security companies, as proxies or informal partners in the perpetration of criminal activity whilst avoiding accountability. Second, where state authority is weak or absent, Criminal actors may establish zones of so-called criminal governance, exercising control through violence, coercion, and extortion, while also providing essential services. It is in these criminal zones of governance that mercenarism flourishes. Both developments undermine state sovereignty, the rule of law, the right of peoples to self-determination, and civilians' access to security and justice. We are also seeing evolving forms of mercenarism and mercenary-like activities, whereby individuals are hired for profit to commit sabotage, concerted acts of violence, and acts intended to destabilize other states. Digital technologies, encrypted communications, cryptocurrencies, and online platforms make it easier for these networks to coordinate, finance, and expand their activities across borders. These technological dimensions were highlighted in our report presented to the 63rd session of the Human Rights Council. Such developments have significant cross-border human rights concerns. Another troubling trend is the emergence of two parallel phenomena. On the one hand, so-called anti-crime missions in which private military and security companies are contracted to conduct counter-narcotics and counter-terrorism operations abroad on behalf of foreign governments, raising serious questions about legality, sovereignty, transparency, and accountability. On the other hand is the phenomena of crime as service, whereby military, security, recruitment, and influence operations are provided to criminal networks. including cartels and scam compounds by actors under our mandate, often exploiting vulnerable people, including migrants, women, and children. The implications of the convergence between organized crime and actors under our mandate extend far beyond individual criminal acts. It can weaken state authority, erode constitutional order, undermine the rule of law, and obstruct sustainable development. Ultimately, it threatens human rights and stability at the local, regional, and global level. Existing legal frameworks are insufficient in addressing these evolving and converging challenges. Further, enforcement remains hampered by corruption, weak governance, limited technical capacity, and insufficient international cooperation. Distrust between states, concerns about politicization, and the possible misuse of sensitive information further complicate efforts to hold these actors accountable. Madam Chair, our research shows that private military and security companies can contribute more effectively to crime prevention management when they operate under strong regulation and proper oversight. Clear licensing, regular monitoring, transparent reporting, and independent audits are essential in the provision of security and to ensuring responsible and accountable conduct. Transparency and accountability mechanisms must be strengthened inter alia to address mercenary-related activities linked to transnational organized crime. Investigations and prosecution should target not only direct perpetrators, but also those who finance, facilitate, or profit from these activities. States should improve protection for victims, witnesses, journalists, civil society actors, and human rights defenders who expose abuses connected to mercenary and criminal networks. These individuals play an essential role in combating impunity and safeguarding democratic governance. International cooperation should be strengthened to address the transnational nature of these networks. including through information sharing, mutual legal assistance, and coordinated efforts to trace illicit financial flows. The Working Group therefore calls upon the United Nations and the international community to strengthen efforts to document and report abuses, share information with the Working Group, and develop practical tools to support States, including model legislation, regulatory frameworks, best practice guidelines, and risk assessments. We also urge states to criminalize mercenarism and related offenses under domestic law, to ratify, review, and strengthen relevant international and regional instruments, and to establish robust national legislation and oversight for private military and security companies. Additionally, we call for renewed commitment to a universal, legally binding instrument that establishes clear rules, regulates the activities and operations of private military and security companies, and closes existing accountability gaps. No actor should be beyond the reach of the law. Madam Chair, we must now act collectively, we must now act decisively. Through stronger international cooperation and a shared commitment to state sovereignty, human rights, and the rule of law, we must ensure that those who facilitate or profit from violence and exploitation are held accountable. Ultimately, the pursuit of profit must never come at the expense of human dignity, international peace and security. I thank you.


3rd Committee · Chair [2:03:28]:

I thank the co-chair rapporteur of the Working Group on the use of mercenaries as a means of violating human rights and impeding the exercise of the right of peoples to self-determination. I will now open the floor for any questions or comments to Mrs. Small. As per past practice, I would ask the delegations to limit their comments to three minutes. I now give the floor to a distinguished representative of European Union, to be followed by Cuba and Namibia.


EU · EU [2:03:58]:

Thank you, madam Chair, and madam Chair Rapporteur. I have the honor to speak on behalf of the EU and its member states. European Union would like to thank you for your presentation of your report, which sheds light on the alarming nexus between mercenaries mercenary-related actors, private military and security companies, and organized criminal activities and illicit networks. We share serious concern regarding how these actors increasingly cooperate with transnational criminal organizations, facilitating illicit trafficking, illicit natural resource extraction, and financial crimes that destabilize entire regions. The European Union firmly reiterates its long-standing position that the legal definition of a mercenary under international humanitarian law must remain strictly distinct from the commercial activities of regulated private military and security companies. We reiterate our call for a significant change in the mandate of the Working Group to focus more clearly on mercenaries which would provide a more effective framework to advance its work. We condemn the recruitment, use, financing, and training of mercenaries and related actors, as well as the criminal instrumentalization of security entities, where such conduct undermines international peace and security and violates international human rights law and international humanitarian law. We call for respect for the obligations under international law and its principles, including respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity. Madam Chair Rapporteur, in light of the findings in your latest report regarding the blurring lines between mercenary operations and transnational organized crime, What specific legal tools or cross-border enforcement mechanisms do you recommend member states prioritize to disrupt the financial pipelines and illicit networks that fund these joint criminal mercenary operations? And I would just like, at this last point, last interactive dialogue of this round, for me at least, to thank very much the interpreters. Thank you.


3rd Committee · Chair [2:06:32]:

I thank the distinguished representatives of the European Union. I now give the floor to Cuba.


Cuba [2:06:39]:

Thank you very much, madam Chair. We thank the Chair Rapporteur for her report and we reiterate our good for the working group on mercenaries. We reiterate our clear and firm position of zero tolerance for mercenarism. This is a crime that is heavily punished in our laws, and we remain vigilant towards it to avoid Cuban citizens becoming involved in these practices. We unequivocally oppose the participation of Cuban citizens in any conflict anywhere in the world. We support the adoption of a legally binding international instrument to govern the activities of military companies and private security companies for accountability, reparations to victims, and respect for international law. We support the Secretary-General in cooperation with the Working Group of the Council on Mercenaries, has drawn up a document on practices with respect to mercenaries. and private security companies and on their consequences for human rights. Taking account of our concern on persistent practices of recruitment and use of mercenaries and their adverse effects on the promotion and protection of human rights in various regions, Cuba will present once again in the Third Committee the draft resolution entitled “The use of mercenaries as a means of violating human rights and impeding the exercise of the right of self-determination, it's a matter of concern that the United States is encouraging with logistical support the use of mercenaries to meddle in the internal affairs of developing countries. This violates the right of free determination. to self-determination violated in the Charter of the UN and international law. We must insist on that preventing the impact of the activities of mercenaries on human rights means that States must not recruit or use mercenaries, and Cuba will always support the right of peoples to self-determination. Thank you very much.


3rd Committee · Chair [2:08:54]:

I now give the floor to Namibia, to be followed by South Africa.


Namibia · Africa Group [2:08:59]:

Thank you, Madam Chair. I have the honour to deliver this statement on behalf of the African Group. as part of the statement we delivered earlier. The African Group thanks and reaffirms its support for your mandate. Ms. Small, the Group’s concern at mercenaries and private military and security companies on the continent dates from 1977 Libreville Convention and has not eased since. We will give due consideration to your report. I thank you.


3rd Committee · Chair [2:09:35]:

I thank the distinguished representative of Namibia. I now give the floor to South Africa.


South Africa [2:09:41]:

Thank you, Madam Chair. South Africa thanks Ms. Michelle Small for this thorough briefing in relation to the use of mercenaries as a means of violating human rights and impeding the exercise of the right of people to self-determination. South Africa remains concerned about the use of mercenaries, as they relate to challenges of sovereignty and human rights abuses. South Africa has adopted and implements a range of laws around the use of mercenaries. This includes the ban of any South Africans participating in mercenary activities, except for those provided for lawfully. We call on all Member States to improve laws and measures to ensure that these illegal activities are no longer a place in our world. Thank you.


3rd Committee · Chair [2:10:23]:

I thank the distinguished representative of South Africa. I now give the floor to the co-reporteur of the working group. her responses?


UN Working Group on Mercenaries · Chair-Rapporteur [2:10:35]:

Thank you, madam Chair, and thank you to the delegations who have made interventions. I will start with the EU's question first by making three points. The first is our 2023 report about The legal and regulatory framework sets out quite clearly the conceptual and legal distinctions between mercenaries and private military and security companies, and I encourage delegations to revisit that report in seeing that those distinct distinctions are made. The working group is the only entity that looks at private military and security companies. And in the absence of any universal, any binding legal framework on private military and security companies, the working group is shining a light on the abuses and violations that are occurring. In terms of what specific legal tools in disrupting mercenary operations, we would return to our repeated calls. which is that states need to have within their domestic legislation, the scoping and specifying of mercenaries and of the offenses and crimes of mercenarism as envisaged under the International Convention. Without the scoping in domestic legislation, it means that there's an absence in which to hold these actors account. Related to that, it is important that more states sign the International Convention on Mercenaries. If you don't have universal coverage, there are gaps between states in applying law, and such jurisdictional gaps make it then hard to investigate these mercenary operations and networks. I think related to that, importantly, is the importance of state cooperation. So the sharing of intelligence, the sharing of information on mercenary operations, but also the illicit networks that sustain them, and the hubs in terms of transshipment, in terms of states that finance and organize and support their operations. In pooling and sharing this information, it would allow for greater universal approach in dealing with these actors. What our work does show is that the global mercenary market is surging in the context of heightened armed conflict around the world. And so again, we stress that state cooperation is needed to dismantle these frameworks. That is my response to the EU delegation. Thank you very much.


3rd Committee · Chair [2:13:49]:

I thank the co-rapporteur of the Working Group on the use of mercenaries as a means of violating human rights and impeding the exercise of the right of peoples to self-determination. Dear colleagues, before we adjourn, I would like to remind delegations that the deadline for the submission of the draft proposals under agenda item 59, entitled Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees: Questions relating to refugees, returnees, and displaced persons, and humanitarian questions, 68, entitled "Elimination of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance", and 69, entitled "Rights of people to self-determination", is today at 6:00 PM. This afternoon, at 3:00 PM, the Committee will begin its consideration under agenda item 59, entitled "Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees", to hold an interactive dialogue with the High Commissioner for Refugees pursuant to the programme of work. Information on the work of the committee, including the schedule of the meeting, is always available on IGov. The meeting is adjourned.