By Emmanuel Argo

Often ignored, the number of people of African descent living outside the African continent is considerable: 350 million. It includes the historical Afro-descendants, from the massive deportation that lasted three centuries, and the African diasporas settled in the West as more recent migrations have taken place.

Aware of the weight that this group of 350 million people weighs, the African Union has designated this group as the ''sixth African region'', alongside the five that are North and East Africa. , from West ; Central Africa and Southern Africa.

The United Nations has proclaimed the "International Decade for People of African Descent", the period from 2015 to 2024. Unfortunately, this proclamation is not widely publicized. See https://fr.unesco.org/decade-people-african-descent/resources

While this decade is a decision that concerns it to the highest degree, the French State remains discreet. To date, he has not taken any action. Neither the government nor the regions have scheduled a demonstration in favor of this decade. French officials do not talk about it. Neither do the media. The private sector and associations ignore this decade.

Yet, for at least two reasons, France should take the lead in celebrating the Decade for People of African Descent. First, France is a permanent member of the UN Security Council.

The other reason is demographics and geography. The white French population of European origin is estimated at 51 million, or 85% of the country's population ( https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/what-is-the-ethnic-composition-of-france.html ). The rest include 6 million people of North African origin, and 2 million Afro-descendants, i.e. 10% and 3.3% respectively of the total population of France.

Geographically, this population of French Afro-descendants, whose ancestors suffered slavery, is spread across the four corners of the globe, particularly in South America, and in the Caribbean islands of Africa. Thanks to this distribution, the French State has one of the most important exclusive economic and maritime zones on the planet.

Today, the population of Africa plus that of the Afro-descendants of the world represents 16% of the world's population. This percentage will increase significantly to more than double by the end of the century, propelled by the exceptional fertility of this population. Automatically, all this creates important economic, cultural, political, and geopolitical issues, from the national to the global level.

Members of the general African population must take responsibility. Which brings me to point out the following facts:

One, a descendant of Africans deported in the 18th century, I took mine, starting by creating the concept ''Africa Mundus''.

This concept is effective in all major areas of national and international activity. If her primary concern is the fate of global Africans, she is not indifferent to that of other peoples with whom she will always show her solidarity.

Two, today, the major world news is the war in Ukraine. In fact, Russia is facing not only Ukraine, but the yankeexy, whose main military vector is NATO, which is in fact commanded by the United States. Yankeexy sends military and financial aid to Ukrainian fighters. Among these, in number and above all in non-negligible power, the media have noted the presence of openly racist battalions. They wear Nazi symbols. They do not hesitate to brutalize, to torture, to kill unarmed people. They make threats against Jews and Blacks: https://youtu.be/ZoKnhXnp-Zk - https://youtu.be/v3twwFDn0qg - https://www.rt.com/shows/documentary/550947-donbass-conflict-origins-motives/.

Three, the world has seen the racism of some Ukrainians, including police officers, against black people fleeing the war. Men, women, children and even babies have been turned away just because they are black.

Four, wherever they are on earth, men and women of good will must work to stop this conflict which can slide into unprecedented and irreversible catastrophes for humanity. Stopping the conflict means limiting the suffering of the Ukrainian populations and the number of deaths on both sides.

Five, the undeniable importance of Africa as suppliers of multiple and indispensable resources to the global economy.

These five facts lead us to focus today on an urgent concern: to prevent food shortages, which will devastate many important communities in Africa Mundus, if we do not act now.

At the end of Africa Mundus, it is necessary to promote that of NegroEvolution which counterbalances the permanent clichés of dependence and submission systematically attributed to individuals whose skin color recalls the slavery past.

From now on, whether they come from continental or extra-continental Africa, they participate in the progress of the world both intellectually and materially, and this recognition must lead to parity and partnership and therefore contractual and pragmatic. This is why African states whose subsoil holds significant mineral wealth, such as Mali or Burkina Faso, are already emancipating themselves from the influence and interference of the West, and are putting their partners in competition putative in their best interests.

All of this is part of both the ongoing economic and societal transition and the changes due to global warming which is already affecting certain regions, causing the alteration of geographical spaces and the displacement of populations.

Over the past few months, the global spotlight has been on Ukraine and Russia. Let us examine the consequences of this conflict in the sphere of Africa Mundus.

The neutrality displayed regarding the position of the countries of the African Union concerning the Eastern European conflict, does it not already reflect a refusal of systematic follow-upism that can be considered as a form of NegroEvolution which in itself constitutes a desire for independence.

We are entering a period where instability and lack of visibility in any geographical area can at any time lead to the aggravation of latent conflicts, due to great economic interdependence. Let us remember that in 2008 the soaring prices of staple foods made the headlines of the international and national media with their processions of riots, destabilization and even the overthrow of governments in different latitudes.

For years, as part of civil society, I have made recommendations relating to the stabilization of the prices of basic cereals (wheat, corn, millet, rice, sorghum) used in the diet of the poorest in the regions. most disadvantaged and poorest on the planet.

The first official voice hoped for independent and reasonable would it not come from a country of Africa. Kenya called for the Africas to be involved in finding solutions to the global trade mess that could lead to a food crisis. This initiative is also mentioned in the South African parliament by one of its members: Ahmed Munzoor Shaik Emam. His intervention is appreciated in particular by Afro-descendants of the sixth region. Today, the President of the African Union Maki Sall, plans to meet the two parties concerned. It should be warmly welcomed and supported. Undoubtedly, after decolonization, this initiative sets the tone for an Africa that is once again emancipating itself. By inviting themselves to “the big leagues”, a privilege reserved for a handful of countries on the planet, it should be noted that this rebirth is based on the principle of NegroEvolution.

Given the geostrategic dimension of the food crisis that threatens us all, it is highly desirable, including in the context of non-governmental diplomacy, that the six regions of Africa Mundus join forces. This is why, with other nationals of civil society in the Africa Mundus sphere, we are calling for the establishment of corridors allowing the circulation of food convoys of basic necessities from Russia or Ukraine, and to destination of the African continent without forgetting the populations of the sixth region located in the southern hemisphere such as in Latin America, on the Guyana Shield, in the Caribbean and on the opposite side in the Indian Ocean…

In conclusion, it is urgent to know which of the two leaders directly concerned will allow the establishment of these corridors to meet the needs and concerns of all nationals of the Africa Mundus sphere.

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Emmanuel Argo is: Honorary Representative of the African Diaspora, He resided in the United Kingdom.

Former member of the Civil G8 Council for the 2006 St Petersburg Summit. In this capacity, was in Moscow, general rapporteur of the preliminary plenary session led by the President of the Russian Federation: http://www.g8.utoronto.ca/summit/2006stpetersburg/civil8/cg8-council.html

Co-author of: NEPAD and the African Renaissance.

-Regional Integration: Economic partnership agreements for Eastern and Southern Africa.

Author of: Hands off the money of the poor. Thanks to Remitt@nces.

-Nelson Mandela and the birth of the new South Africa.

-The NegroEvolution.

Prefaced: Who Threatens Peace and Stability in Africa.

Member of the Africa Mundus network. www.africamundus.org