Excellencies,
Distinguished Delegates,

I have the honor to deliver this statement on behalf of the Group of 77 and China. At the outset, allow me to thank the President of the General Assembly for convening this meeting, as well as the Permanent Representatives of Brunei Darussalam and Zimbabwe for their hard work throughout the negotiations of the Political Declaration adopted today.

The Group of 77 and China has remained firmly committed to its foundational opposition to all forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance. As the core group presenting the annual resolution on the follow-up to the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action, we have a demonstrated history of commitment and support for this seminal and fundamental process.

This High-level Meeting convene to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the adoption of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action offers an important opportunity to reaffirm its enduring significance as a landmark framework in our collective commitment to combating racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, and strengthen global support for the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action and its implementation.

The Durban Declaration and Programme of Action is not only about combating racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance; it is also about improving education and awareness, fighting poverty and marginalization, securing inclusive and sustainable development, reducing inequalities and respecting, protecting and promoting the human rights of all persons. Its relevance is further strengthened by the recognized nexus between combating racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance and the achievement of sustainable development.

The Group also underscores the fundamental need to eliminate persistent historical and structural inequalities, particularly affecting women and girls, people of African descent and Indigenous Peoples and local communities including by acknowledging, addressing and taking effective measures to remedy past tragedies and their consequences, such as affirmative policies and reparatory justice and to eradicate all forms of discrimination.

Moreover, in order to effectively eliminate racism and racial discrimination and eradicate negative stereotypes, we must educate today's children and young people about the history of racism and racial discrimination and their impacts, ensuring that future generations do not carry the weight of the past, either by perpetuating these harmful practices or by suffering their consequences.

We remain deeply concerned about the alarming resurgence of all forms of racism in societies and call upon States to combat and oppose all forms of racism, including hate speech and religious intolerance, online and offline, worldwide, in line with the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action.

It is also important to recognize the modern elements shaping racism and racial discrimination. Today, technology is developing at an unprecedented pace, while social media enables messages of hatred to spread at alarming speed, alongside misinformation and disinformation, increasingly amplified by Artificial Intelligence. New technologies can be extremely beneficial for sustainable development if used responsibly. We must work together to ensure that new developments contribute to a better world and do not perpetuate or exacerbate existing and structural inequalities.

Mr. President,

We will never achieve peaceful, just and inclusive societies until we all begin to see and treat one another with equity. In this regard, I wish to conclude by reaffirming the Group's unwavering commitment to the global fight against racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance.

I thank you.