A/HRC/54/67 role of the United Nations country team and civil society in implementing policies for the economic, political and social empowerment of the populations of African descent. 38. Civil society representatives highlighted the challenges faced by African people due to predatory lending, discriminatory practices and subversive financial rules. They referenced the vision of Marcus Mosiah Garvey, who recognized the inevitability of African people being left behind without economic empowerment. 39. Civil society representatives also raised concerns about delays in compensating victims of the Windrush scandal in the United Kingdom, racial profiling in compensation rules and injustices in social services and banking institutions. They called for recognition of the right to development for people of African descent, encompassing economic empowerment, land ownership, wage equity, equitable distribution of wealth and access to resources. The establishment of sustainable tributary funds that support human rights and overcome policies of austerity, fiscal evasion and regressive taxation systems was proposed. In order to promote equal opportunities and improve the lives of people of African descent, there was a call to eliminate the pink tax and the black tax, through which higher prices are charged for products and services aimed at women and Black people, respectively. 40. The fourth panel, on the theme of “The impact of the global economic and financial architecture and mechanisms on people of African descent” was chaired by Ms. Day and questioned how aid and development efforts often prioritized the policy priorities of donor countries over the needs and potential of recipient countries. The aid structure itself perpetuated historical patterns of exploitation and colonialism. Renegotiating priorities was a key step towards creating a more equitable and just system, recognizing that the exploitation of profit was often linked to the exploitation of people, particularly those who had historically been marginalized and oppressed. 41. The Chair of the Intergovernmental Working Group on the Effective Implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action, Marie Chantal Rwakazina, discussed how the future declaration on the promotion and full respect of the human rights of people of African descent would contribute to empowering people of African descent. The current draft of the declaration urged the international community to take responsibility for and repair the violations of the human rights of people of African descent across the world. 42. The Executive Director of People of African Descent Link, Larry Olomofe, discussed the experiences of people of African descent in Central and Eastern Europe, who faced challenges in exercising their economic rights. Discrimination and exclusion from bank loans, a lack of opportunities and hostility from local communities were some of the factors that shaped and impacted the ambitions of patent operators and new small business owners. The strict language rules pursued by local administrative offices, the registration and taxation of businesses, and the regulations that govern the establishment of business enterprises were not conducive to patent business owners and created extra layers of bureaucracy. Those rules enhanced the vulnerability of patent business owners, who were forced to use proxies as partners due to language barriers and to save costs. 43. The Executive Vice President of the African Center For Economic Transformation, Mavis Owusu-Gyamfi, pointed out that the global financial architecture had resulted in high debt levels and limited investment in critical social and economic development programmes. 44. Associate Professor of the Department of Mathematics and School of Science, Health and Technology, Medgar Evers College, City University of New York, Terrence Blackman, discussed how the relationship between the international private sector and countries with predominantly Black populations could be complex, noting that while foreign investment could bring significant benefits to such countries, it was essential for Governments and international companies to prioritize the interests of the host country and operate responsibly and ethically. Guyana was given as an example of a country where the exploitation of natural resources was the driving force behind foreign investment. Effective governance, transparent management of resources and responsible management of the debt burden would be critical considerations for managing the emerging oil and gas economy, particularly for a predominantly Black population. GE.23-12890 9