4th Session of UN Permanent Forum of People of African Descent begins today, Monday, April 14
The 4th Session of the United Nations (UN) Permanent Forum of People of African Descent (UN PFPAD) starts today, Monday, April 14, 2025 at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, United States of America (USA), with the Opening ceremonies, change of leadership baton, adoption of the agenda and programme of work of the Session, and key speeches by dignitaries, including the President of the UN General Assembly, Cameroon-born diplomat, H.E Philemon Yang.
With “Africa and People of African Descent: United for Reparatory Justice in the Age of Artificial Intelligence” as its theme, this year’s Session is holding against a background of global anxiety occasioned by immigration and tariff concerns.
Notwithstanding, New York, ‘the city that never sleeps,’ already, is playing host to delegates from all over the world who have come together to debate key issues that affect People of African Descent, especially reparatory justice for Africa and People of African Descent, human rights of women and girls of African Descent, systemic racism, Artificial intelligence and digital justice.
Other key speakers expected to address the opening session are Earle Courtenay Rattray, Chef de Cabinet, Executive Office of the Secretary General of the UN; H.E Francia Elena Marquez Mina, Vice President of Columbia; H.E Jurg Lauber, President, Human Rights Council, UN; and H.E Volker Turk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.
Equally scheduled to address the Session, which will witness the inauguration of Kenya’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York, Ambassador Martin Kimani as Chairman of PFPAD, are H.E Anielle Franco, Minister of Racial Equality of Brazil; Dr. Carla Natalie Barnett, Secretary General, Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and His Honourable Mr. Joseph L.F. Hamilton, Minister of Labour of Guyana.
Besides the key speeches and appointment of new leaders, with Gaynel Curry from The Bahamas becoming Kimani’s Deputy while Pastor Elías Murillo Martínez from Colombia would step in as Rapporteur, the opening session will also feature some dances, and the start of the General Debates.
An indication of the heightened interest in the work of the UN PFPAD is the number of side events that started holding even before today’s opening program, and which will continue to hold on the sidelines of the Session, alongside the major thematic discussions that will continue till Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Thursday, April 17, 2025 will be dedicated to the adoption of the preliminary conclusions and recommendations of the 4th session of the PFPAD, as well as to the closing event of the session, which will focus on the commemoration of “Haiti’s Independence Debt: 200 Years Later.”
In the build-up to the opening of the 4th session, the International Civil Society Working Group (ICSWG) led by Dr. Amara Enyia had held a Pre-PFPAD Town Hall, addressed by Dr. June Soomer, who is handing over the leadership baton to Ambassador Kimani today.
The proceedings of the 4th session will be broadcasted in real-time with interpretations via UN Web TV.
