By shedding light on contemporary debates, and in particular on the consequences to date of the slave trade and enslavement of Africans, this publication can and must serve as an inspiration to inform and feed into public policies geared towards justice and the fight against racism. UNESCO  
will ensure this by accompanying each of its Member States along the path to equality.  
The publication of Volume X would not have been possible without the support of the members of the International Scientific Committee for the drafting of a General History of Africa, its president and vice-presidents, the volume editors, the authors, and all those who have contributed to this collective work. I would like to thank them all. My thanks also go to our donors and partners, both public and private, who have made it possible for us to pursue the noble and necessary endeavour that is the General History of Africa.