The development of Africa, greatly impeded by the global imbalances in power that has been created by slavery, colonialism, and other forms of exploitation, is maintained and extended today by neo-colonial policies and practices. In addition to the pillage of the human and material resources of Africa, its financial resources are being drained by foreign debt services. Slavery has just taken other forms. The right to life and liberty of the person of Black people is being regularly violated with complete indifference whether in Western countries or by African dictators who are very often supported and protected by Western countries. The struggle against racism must go hand in hand with struggle against negative ethnicity in Africa.
Racism is a major health determinant.
Historical and current discrimination against Africans and African descendants and colonial and neo-colonial policies have resulted in Africans and African descendants having significantly lower health status, less or no access to health care and poorer quality health care as compared to white Europeans and European descendants. Media and new technologies play a significant role in the maintenance of structural and cultural anti-black racism. Anti-black racism cannot be eradicated without the elimination of social ghettoization and demonization of Africans and African descendants. Environmental racism refers to any government, military, industry or other institution's action, or failure to act, which has a disproportionate negative environmental impact on Africans and African descendants, on Indigenous, Latino, Asian, migrant or other ethnic groups or the places where they live. Environmental racism, although not new, is a recent example of the historical double standard as to what is acceptable in certain communities, villages or cities and not in others.