The United Nations Human Rights Council opened a special, unscheduled debate on Wednesday to discuss the issue of racism and police brutality in the United States in the wake of the murder of black American George Floyd.
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African nations in the council have called for a international commission of inquiry that would report back in a year about US police brutality and systematic racism in the US and elsewhere, a call that those against the plan have cited as only to be used for more serious human rights violations.
Hours before the debate was about to start, Andrew Bremberg, US ambassador to the UN in Geneva, said that the US is not above scrutiny, but all the other countries where racism is a problem need to be noted as well.
Botswana submitted the draft resolution, and its ambassador to Switzerland, Athaliah Lesiba Molokomme, spoke during the debate, focusing on the uprising of people on the streets of the US and elsewhere, protesting against racism and brutality.
Philonise Floyd ended his comments on the state of racism in the US, saying that the slaying of his brother, George, was not unique.
