A/HRC/31/75 Related Intolerance, held in Durban in 2001, recognized the existence of religious intolerance against certain religious communities owing to their religious beliefs. In that regard, it was imperative to implement paragraph 150 of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action and paragraphs 13 and 127 of the outcome document of the Durban Review Conference with regard to religious intolerance and discrimination, with a view to combating new and contemporary forms of racism. In that regard, OIC also recognized the urgent need to prepare complementary standards to strengthen and update international instruments against racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance in all their aspects, in accordance with paragraph 199 of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action. 12. The representative of Egypt noted that it was alarming to know that, despite sincere efforts aimed at eradicating the phenomenon of racism worldwide, there was a growing trend towards racism in many countries, thus threatening the principles of equality and nondiscrimination as core human rights. The representative noted that Egypt was concerned by the rise of racist and discriminatory trends based on extremist ideologies that propagate religious intolerance, defamation of religions, racial profiling and stigmatization, and incitement to racial and religious hatred. The ongoing refugee crisis in the Mediterranean Sea was a clear example that demonstrated the extent that the phenomenon of racism had reached. Egypt believed that in order for the international community to effectively counter that scourge of racism, concerted efforts should be made, with a view to realizing full and effective implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action and the outcome document of the Durban Review Conference. The representative expressed the view that effectively combating evolving forms of racism and various discriminatory activities might not be realized without formulating complementary standards to international instruments against racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance. 13. The representatives of Algeria, Pakistan, Libya and the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela affirmed their commitment to the fight against racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance. III. Discussion concerning the implementation of the programme of activities for the implementation of the International Decade for People of African Descent 14. Mr. Ugochukwu made a presentation on the implementation of the programme of activities for the implementation of the International Decade for People of African Descent. He recalled a number of United Nations resolutions that mentioned people of African descent and presented options as to the meaning of the term. He noted that the term “people of African descent” could refer to the territory, that is, people who have their ancestral roots in Africa and are living outside the continent of Africa; it could refer to a distant time, that is, to people who had their ancestral roots in Africa centuries ago but were victims of slavery; and it could refer to every human being that had his/her ancestral roots in Africa (origin) irrespective of where he/she lived. 15. Mr. Ugochukwu then talked about the causes of African emigration, including both internal factors (political: power struggles, manipulation of elections, regional domination; economic: deprivation, poverty, resource control; socio-anthropological: ethnic rivalry; and belief: religion, occultism) and external factors, such as former colonial powers’ support of dictatorships, the collapse of uncompromising regimes, the exploitation of mineral resources and colonialism. 5

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