U.N. sets inquiry into racism after George Floyd death

The 47-member state forum in Geneva unanimously adopted a resolution, brought by African countries, that gives the office of U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet a mandate to report back its findings in a year's time. The text was watered down during closed-door negotiations from an initial draft explicitly calling for a U.N. commission of inquiry on racism in the United States and elsewhere.

The United Nations Human Rights Council on Friday condemned discriminatory and violent policing that led to the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis last month and ordered a report be drawn up on "systemic racism" against people of African descent. The 47-member state forum in Geneva unanimously adopted a resolution, brought by African countries, that gives the office of U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet a mandate to report back its findings in a year's time.

The text was watered down during closed-door negotiations from an initial draft explicitly calling for a U.N. commission of inquiry on racism in the United States and elsewhere. The Trump administration quit the forum two years ago alleging anti-Israeli bias.