E/CN.4/2006/19 page 8 Millennium Declaration did not give special attention to the fact that those inequalities might refer to ethnic and racial differences. However, there was no contradiction between the Millennium Declaration and the Durban agenda, as they were based on common fundamental values: freedom, equality, solidarity, tolerance, respect for nature and shared responsibility. The Millennium Declaration emphasized the issues of development and eradication of poverty, protection of the environment, human rights, democracy and good governance. All these issues were also considered in the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action. The issue of racism and discrimination was mentioned specifically in paragraph 25 of the Millennium Declaration. 28. She referred also to the work undertaken by the United Nations Millennium Project for translating the established targets of the Millennium Declaration into the related indicators. Much work had been done regarding the targets related to poverty, education and health; however, other issues concerning human rights, including the reduction of racial inequality, had not yet been operationalized into global indicators, as the Millennium Declaration did not establish specific targets for them. 29. When discussing ways to mainstream the situation of people of African descent into plans for achieving the Millennium Development Goals as a contribution to stimulating the inclusion of the issue in country reports and the general debate on the Goals, Ms. Roland said that the established targets for the Goals should consider the existing racial/ethnic inequalities in such a way that specific and higher targets be established for the Afro-descendent population in order to reduce inequality at the same time. 30. Mr. Eric Boone, member of the National Board of Directors of the National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People, presented a paper on strategies to mainstream the situation of people of African descent in the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals. He argued that, while the expectations and hopes of the international community with regard to the application and the achievement of the Goals were varied, sincere concern surrounded the strategies used to achieve the Goals. This concern was acutely felt among people of African descent living in the diaspora. 31. Mr. Boone asserted that it had been urged in several forums that, in implementing the Millennium Development Goals for minority populations, States should promote affirmative action and special measures necessary for poverty reduction and reducing the corresponding disparities in health, education and housing. In fashioning such affirmative-action programs, serious thought and consideration should be given to assure that these programmes were effectively targeted to affect the lives of the most disadvantaged. For example, in the United States of America it had been found that the more advantaged minorities benefited disproportionately from affirmative-action programs as they were in the best position to compete with other individuals or groups for higher-paying jobs, college admissions, and promotions. In line with this, while the middle class was the fastest- growing segment of the African-American population, it had been discovered that the greatest growth actually occurred in the top 40 per cent, while growth in the bottom 60 per cent stagnated if not declined. 32. However, while disparate in impact, Mr. Boone considered affirmative-action programmes necessary to dismantle the existing system of racial inequality. He submitted that such policies and measures should be coupled with economic, political and educational reform to assure greater access to the least advantaged, and not only the most advantaged, racial minorities.