2023 UN Forum on Minority Issues Statement by the United States of America regarding Socioeconomic Development November 30, 2023 Thank you, Co-Chairs. The United States is committed to promoting respect for the human rights of persons who are oppressed due to their race or ethnicity, and to creating a more just, inclusive, and equitable world where all people have opportunity to live up to their fullest potential. A key component of achieving this goal is to empower marginalized communities, including those with significant migrant and refugee populations, by increasing their economic participation. Entrepreneurs from marginalized communities make critical contributions to the global economy, yet they still face barriers that prevent them from reaching their full potential. Capital is frequently inaccessible to minorityowned businesses. The Biden-Harris administration has prioritized increasing access by minority owned companies to federal contracts by directing U.S. government agencies to make efforts to increase the share of Federal contracts going to these companies to 15 percent by 2025. Additionally, Welcome Corps at Work is a first-of-its-kind program that links employment opportunities to resettlement through the U.S Refugee Admissions Program. Welcome Corps matches qualified refugees with U.S employers, providing them with concrete job offers. Disparities in educational and employment opportunities have long been a barrier to establishing an equitable work force. Efforts to expand skillsbased hiring and increase access to workforce trainings help create SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED