Thank you. We welcome this opportunity for continued dialogue on countering systemic racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia, and related intolerance. We share your concerns regarding the barriers of racism and racial discrimination to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals and the implementation of the 2030 Agenda.
Comprehensively addressing the multidimensional legacies of systemic racism and racial discrimination is a top priority for the Biden-Harris Administration, as demonstrated by our efforts at home to advance racial equity and support for underserved communities, to implement civil rights protections related to use of emerging technologies, to promote health equity, to enhance voting access, to ensure equitable implementation of infrastructure investments, and to advance environmental justice.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken appointed the Department of State’s first Special Representative for Racial Equity and Justice to lead efforts to advance the human rights of persons belonging to marginalized racial and ethnic communities and combat systemic racism, discrimination, and xenophobia around the world.
We must comprehensively tackle the complex challenges of our time, including the disproportionate impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, food insecurity, health disparities, hate-based violence, access to clean water, environmental injustice, and economic instability on racial and ethnic minorities and marginalized communities globally.
We look forward to continued engagement on these crucial issues.
Our question is: How can countries work together to ensure our efforts in the areas of racial justice and sustainable development are complementary?
Thank you.
Original source can be found here.
