EU Explanation of Position – UN General Assembly: Action on the Political Declaration of the High-Level Meeting to mark the 25th anniversary of the Durban Declaration and[...]

EU Explanation of Position - UN General Assembly: Action on the Political Declaration of the High-Level Meeting to mark the 25th anniversary of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action

12 October 2026, New York - Explanation of Position / Vote after adoption or vote on behalf of the European Union and its Member States delivered at the United Nations General Assembly Action on the Political Declaration of the High-Level Meeting to mark the 25th anniversary of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action

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Mr President, distinguished delegates,

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

We would like to thank Brunei Darussalam and Zimbabwe for their work on this Political Declaration and for the very constructive way in which they steered the discussions and the negotiation process.

Too many people still face racism and discrimination in their daily lives. For the European Union, addressing this scourge is a foundational priority, because we were founded on the values of respect for human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and human rights, which must be guaranteed to all, without discrimination of any kind.

The Political Declaration has notable positive elements, including:

• a forward-looking emphasis on implementation for all those affected by racism;
• strong language on education, remembrance, justice, and participation;
• attention to contemporary challenges, including bias in artificial intelligence.

At the same time, we have concerns regarding certain elements of the Declaration, from which we would like to disassociate, namely:

• Mention of the term "neo-colonialism", which has no commonly agreed definition, and which the EU therefore does not recognise as a concept under international law;
• Reparatory justice, on which the international discussions continue. The EU recalls the DDPA is a blueprint which sets out a shared vision, and reaffirms the position expressed at its adoption that no language contained therein can affect the general legal principle which precludes retrospective application of international law in matters of State responsibility, and by which questions of reparatory justice remain within the competence of individual Member States, in light of their respective historical experiences.

We also recall our reservations on:

• Elaboration of the draft Declaration on the human rights of People of African Descent, where constructive EU engagement in negotiations does not prejudge their outcome; and
• Provisions concerning equality data, which must respect proper legal frameworks, taking account of issues attached to identifying people by their ethnic origin.

We remain fully committed to combating racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance. Differences may only be resolved through sustained constructive engagement.

Thank you.