On the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for dismantling the systemic racism and economic inequalities born from four centuries of chattel slavery.

Axar.az reports, citing UN portal, Guterres honored the resilience of the millions stolen from Africa, noting that the global order shaped by this "staggering crime" prevailes for over 400 years, and continues to haunt modern institutions.

To address these lingering injustices, he urged Member States to move beyond symbolic gestures toward "truth, justice, and repair."

The Secretary-General emphasized that true progress requires structural shifts in global power, specifically advocating for African nations' sovereignty over their own resources and their "equal participation and influence in the global financial architecture and the UN Security Council." Challenging the international community to take "far bolder actions."

"We are called to confront these legacies by rejecting the false narrative of racial difference and the ugly lie of white supremacy... and by dismantling racism—online, in the media, in schools, at work, in politics, and within ourselves."