The United States today pledged to the UN to step up its fight against racial discrimination, leaving open the question of reparations after centuries of racism that Washington has labeled “systemic.”

“We must continue to make significant concerted efforts to eradicate the scourge of racial discrimination in our country,” said Desiree Cormier-Smith, State Department Special Representative for Racial Equality and Justice.

In his speech to the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, which studied the history of the United States for two days, Smith reaffirmed Washington’s commitment to “eradicate systemic racism” while saying: “We still have a lot to do. “

Smith, who is of African American descent, co-chaired a panel of 18 American experts tasked with overseeing the implementation of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination by state parties, a provision ratified by the United States in 1994.

The committee is expected to publish the findings of its work on 30 August.

U.S. officials have been interrogated on issues such as police violence, killings of black people, the rise in hate speech, and the treatment of minorities and immigrants.

Several experts raised the issue of compensation, including South African Faith Dekeledi Pansy Tlakula, who asked if Congress or President Joe Biden would respond to a request to form a committee tasked with examining the file.

Human rights activists denounce Washington’s failure to adequately respond to the abuses committed against blacks in slavery and in subsequent periods when they were subjected to exploitation, discrimination and violence.