Ambassador Dan Negrea
United States Representative to the United Nations Economic and Social Council
New York, New York
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
The United States firmly opposes the injustices of the trans-Atlantic slave trade, the trans-Saharan slave trade, and all forms of slavery. We are committed to acknowledging these historical wrongs. However, we find many issues with the current resolution. Therefore, we cannot support it.
We want to remind everyone that the United Nations was created to maintain global peace and security. It shouldn’t be used to promote narrow interests, establish specific international observances, or create expensive new mandates. Unfortunately, this resolution does all these things.
The U.S. has long-standing objections to the ideas of “reparatory justice” and the “duty of reparation.” While we recognize the horrors of the past, we disagree with the claim that historical events from the 15th to the 19th centuries violate current international laws. We also do not acknowledge a legal right to reparations for actions that were not illegal at the time they occurred.
This resolution leaves much confusion about who would actually benefit from “reparatory justice.” It seems the drafters believe they themselves are the rightful recipients. We strongly oppose using historical injustices to justify reallocating present resources based on distant connections to past victims.
Additionally, the U.S. does not agree with ranking crimes against humanity. This attempt undermines the suffering of many victims over history and is incorrect legally. Such a comparison is inappropriate; all suffering deserves equal recognition.
We’re also disappointed in the selective historical references in the text. The trafficking of African slaves began long before the 15th century and, sadly, continued after the 19th. These dates appear chosen for political reasons rather than historical accuracy. All forms of enslavement deserve condemnation.
Furthermore, some misleading articles have claimed that sponsors of this resolution questioned President Trump’s support of the Black community. We disagree with such claims. In fact, President Trump has made significant contributions to Black Americans, gaining historic support from that community in the 2024 election.
Lastly, we express our disappointment with how the text was drafted. The U.S. and other nations offered helpful suggestions to align the resolution with established international laws. Unfortunately, those suggestions were disregarded.
For all these reasons, the United States will vote “no” on this resolution.
Thank you.
