Mr/Madam Chair,
I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union.
The candidate countries Türkiye, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Albania*, Ukraine, Republic of Moldova and Georgia align themselves with this statement.
In this year when we celebrate the 60th anniversary of the adoption of the ICERD, the EU reaffirms its commitment to the Convention and to the fight against racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance in general. On this anniversary, we call for renewed action to ensure that the Convention is fully and effectively upheld worldwide. We will continue to stand united with all those who fight for dignity, inclusion, and equality, and remain committed to building a world where human rights are upheld and everyone is given equal opportunities.
With regard to the Intergovernmental Working Group on the effective implementation of the Durban Declaration and Plan of Action, the EU thanks the Deputy Permanent Representative of Kenya for his leadership. At its most recent session, the Working Group managed to finalise the first reading of the draft UN Declaration on the respect, protection and fulfilment of the human rights of people of African descent, meaning that we now have a clear overview of the main concerns. We look forward to receiving the revised version well on time for all delegations to be able to prepare for the next session, immediately after the September session of this Council. The EU will continue to engage meaningfully in the negotiations as we have done since the beginning of the process.
In addition, we hope that there will be time during the next meeting of the Working Group to have an in-depth discussion on how to rationalise and streamline existing mechanisms in the field of the fight against racism. There is a need to concentrate expertise and align calendars.
With regard to combating religious intolerance, the EU continues to take action. Last year, the European Commission together with the Belgian Presidency of the Council of the European Union organised a Conference on preventing and combatting Anti-Muslim hate crimes in the EU. The meeting had two main objectives: to take an objective look at the alarming level of hate speech and hate crime against Muslims or those perceived as such, and to identify possible solutions to improve the situation and a sense of security among Muslims or those perceived as such. Additionally, a few days ago, on the 13-14 March, the European Commission together with the Council of Europe organised the second Coordination Meeting on Combatting anti-Muslim hatred and racism. This meetings showcase the EU‘s strong determination to combat discrimination, hate speech and hate crime.
The European Commission also maintains a continuous dialogue with churches, religious associations as well as philosophical and non-confessional organisations.
Lastly, we stand ready to revitalize existing processes such as the Istanbul Process, and to participate at the appropriate level in the next session.
I thank you.