The South African government has renewed its call for formal apologies, reparations, and the return of cultural artefacts at a UN General Assembly high-level meeting in New York. International Relations Minister Ronald Lamola made the appeal on Monday, 28 September, marking 25 years since the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action against racism was adopted. The declaration was agreed upon at the World Conference against Racism in Durban in 2001.
The Durban Declaration set out an international programme to combat racial discrimination, xenophobia, and related intolerance. It is described by the UN as a political commitment, not a legally binding treaty. Minister Lamola stated that states should address the legacies of slavery, colonialism, and apartheid through truth-telling and practical measures, including the return of cultural objects to their countries of origin.
The UN meeting commemorated the declaration adopted in South Africa a quarter of a century ago. Lamola welcomed the political declaration marking the anniversary and called for stronger, independent national human-rights institutions to monitor whether governments are meeting their commitments. He also backed progress towards a separate UN declaration on the rights of people of African descent.
UN General Assembly President Khalilur Rahman addressed the same meeting, stating that the Durban framework had drawn on South Africa's defeat of institutionalised racism. He urged governments to turn commitments into funded national action plans and measurable results. The UN Secretary-General's office reported that António Guterres similarly called for stronger anti-discrimination laws and measures against bias in technology.
Minister Lamola's remarks did not announce a new South African reparations programme or a domestic law change. However, he pointed to recent General Assembly decisions concerning the trafficking and enslavement of Africans and the way world maps represent the continent. These decisions were presented as part of a broader push to confront historical injustice.
The anniversary of the Durban Declaration should become a turning point in protecting rights and reducing inequality, rather than only a remembrance of the 2001 conference, according to Lamola. The South African government is pushing for stronger action against racism and related intolerance. The international community is also working towards a separate UN declaration on the rights of people of African descent.
The call for reparations and apologies has been made by South Africa at a critical juncture, as the world marks 25 years since the Durban Declaration. The declaration's impact and the global efforts to combat racism and related intolerance will be closely watched in the coming years.
Key points
- South Africa renews call for formal apologies, reparations, and return of cultural artefacts at UN General Assembly meeting.
- The Durban Declaration set out an international programme to combat racial discrimination, xenophobia, and related intolerance.
- UN Secretary-General António Guterres calls for stronger anti-discrimination laws and measures against bias in technology.
