Source: http://webcast.un.org/ramgen/conferences/hrc2006/four/hrc070315pm2-orig.rm?start=01:58:37&end=02:02:37

Human Rights Council, Fourth Session
March 15, 2007
General Debate

Algeria on behalf of the African Group

Thank you, Mr. President.  I am making a statement on behalf of the African Group and first of all, I would like to thank the High Commissioner and congratulate her on the reports put before the plenary for examination.  We would also express the wish that we could receive such reports earlier.  Given the time that we had, the African Group had to limit its comments to three reports- that on geographic distribution of staff in the Office of the High Commissioner.  That’s on the ___ of racism, and racial discrimination, xenophobia, intolerance, and associated phenomena.  As regards to geographical problems of staff, the Africa Group takes note of the assurances of Ms. Arbour that she will improve the situation regarding the geographical distribution among her staff, particularly among the African region, whose representation has gone down to less than half from the year 2000 because the second special session the African Group shares the concerns of the inspection body which stated that there could be a reduction in the effectiveness of the work of the High Commissioner and there could be damage to the credibility of the UN system as a whole which is why the African Group appeals for specific measure to be taken to re-establish without undue delay a balance situation keeping with the charter of the United Nations an equal- upholding equal treatment, and calls on the member states to ensure this.  As regards to the rights to development, the African Group encourages the Office of the High Commissioner to continue supporting an operation of measured terms the working group on the right to development and the special task team on the implementation of the right of development.  The African Group would like to reaffirm that in contributing to drawing up an international convention on the right of development, the working group on the right to development must work within resolution 61/169 from Assembly and declaration adopted at the last summit of the Non-Aligned Movement. 

Thirdly, as regards to fighting racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia, and associated intolerance, the African Group would like to point to the fact that this comes directly under the Office of the High Commissioner and of the fifth session of the working group on the implementation of the Durban Program of Action.  We emphasize to the President that there was a document- we submitted this document- containing the concerns and comments of the African Groups as regards to the operation of this body, in order that its activities may be re-launched and we would like to join this document to our statement and request that it be put on the extranet of the Human Rights Council.

We are appealing to the High Commissioner to take necessary measures to re-launch this important mechanism and to report to the Council actions taken as soon as possible.

I would be grateful, Madam High Commissioner, if you could find a moment to reply to the question that I asked this morning as regards to the measures to be taken by the High Commissioner to commemorate in 2008 the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the assessment of the Millennium Declaration.  

Thank you.