Lamola urges UN to renew fight against racism 25 years after Durban declaration [VIDEO]

International Relations Minister Ronald Lamola has urged the global community to recommit to the fight against racism and intolerance, warning that the legacies of slavery, colonialism, and apartheid still deeply affect international systems a quarter of a century after the UN World Conference Against Racism in Durban. At a high-level UN General Assembly meeting on Tuesday, 28 September 2026, to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action (DDPA), Lamola stressed that the 153-page framework from 2001 aimed to combat racism, xenophobia, and the oppression of Indigenous peoples.

However, he cautioned that addressing these deep-rooted issues requires more than governmental action. "Racism, xenophobia, and gender inequality are on the rise, fueled by online hate speech and backlash against redress measures. This indicates that we must intensify our collective efforts," he said. Lamola highlighted that contemporary racism against Africans and people of African descent remains entrenched in various institutions and practices.

He linked growing inequality and insecurity to the rise in hostility towards migrants, emphasizing that failing to cooperate can exacerbate divisions. Despite the challenges, Lamola pointed to achievements such as Ghana's role in recognizing the transatlantic slave trade as a "gravest crime against humanity" and Togo's efforts to correct distortions in global maps that have historically minimized Africa's size.

He emphasized that reparations, truth-telling, apologies, and the return of cultural artifacts are essential steps, and that the proposed UN Declaration on the Human Rights of People of African Descent should translate these principles into practical action. Lamola stressed that while progress began 25 years ago with the Durban Declaration, the struggle against racism must continue.

He noted that past wrongs cannot be righted, distortions cannot correct themselves, and that resilient action is required to build a society free of racism, xenophobia, and related intolerances.