The Ambassador of Saudi Arabia before the Human Rights Council in Geneva, Abdulaziz Al-Wasel, considered that the international community should search for more effective means to combat the discriminatory measures that are prevalent in many countries of the world based on race or religion.
During the discussion of the report of the Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, in the framework of the 50th session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva, Al-Wasel said that racist practices are no longer confined to societies and individuals, but rather infiltrated to be a systematic policy by some governments and parliaments.
The European Saudi Organization for Human Rights indicates that Saudi Arabia uses the interventions before the Council to whitewash its image away from practices on the ground. Al-Wasel's word ignored the discriminatory and racist official practices in his country against foreigners. Although Saudi Arabia has promoted changes in dealing with foreign workers, especially amendments to the sponsorship system, violations are still widespread. According to the organization's follow-up, millions of foreign workers from the most vulnerable groups, including domestic workers, drivers, farmers, gardeners and guards, are still excluded from the recent legal changes affecting workers. The organization clarifies that more than 3 million workers are still subject to the sponsorship system, which places mandatory guardianship of a Saudi citizen on the foreign worker, which leads to grave violations, including forced labour and abuse, among others.
During the session, the Special Rapporteur presented a report that analyzed the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development through the lens of racial justice and racial equality and how the international development agenda contributed to the persistence of racial discrimination between countries. She cited widespread criticism of the global development system, which has been identified as a vehicle for economic inequality.