Geneva - Minister of Foreign Affairs Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma is expected to deliver a statement on behalf of the African Group during the United Nations Durban Review Conference in Geneva, Switzerland on Monday.
The four-day conference seeks to help the international community recommit to practical measures to address racism and racial discrimination.
The minister is leading the South African delegation, which includes South Africa's Ambassador to Geneva Dr Glaudine Mtshali, Xolisa Mabhongo as well as senior government officials from the Presidency and the Department of Justice, to the conference.
Delegates will review the progress and assess the implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action, assess and accelerate progress on implementation of measures adopted at the 2001 World Conference against Racism in Durban (WCAR) as well as identify gaps on implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action.
The conference will allow governments and civil society to share and benefit from good practices, outline concrete ways to make a difference on the ground and reaffirm not only that racism exists in all countries, but that it is the responsibility of all governments and societies to address it.
According to the Department of Foreign Affairs, while progress has been made in some areas to implement the outcome of the 2001 World Conference against Racism, Xenophobia and Related Intolerances, the international community still faces major challenges in the fight against racism.
Disturbing incidents of racism and racial intolerance occur in many countries, and it is for this reason that the UN Durban Review Conference is expected to stress the need for the international community to exercise the necessary and continued vigilance in pursuit of the noble ideas that were agreed to during the WCAR.
The UN Durban Review Conference is convening under the theme "United Against Racism, Dignity and Justice for all".
