Preparatory meeting on racism and xenophobia ends

Participants in a just ended conference on racism and related abuses urged the international community to focus more attention on issues such as the legacy of slavery and colonialism, human development, and gender issues, a human rights advocate told IRIN on Thursday. The call came at a three-day conference in Dakar, Senegal, on racism, xenophobia and intolerance, Dieudonne Pandare of the Rassemblement africain pour la defense des droits de l’homme (RADDHO) said. The meeting, attended by representatives of African states and civil society, ended on Wednesday with the adoption of the Declaration of Dakar, a document detailing Africa’s position on race-related issues. It was held in preparation for the World Conference Against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance billed for 31 August - 7 September in Durban, South Africa.