Durban Watch

The Human Rights Council adopted on June 18, 2009, without a vote, a Draft Resolution on the Intergovernmental Working Group on the effective implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action (DDPA).

Nigeria submitted the draft on behalf of the African Group and introduced amendments to the draft.

One of them was a paragraph which "Acknowledges with appreciation the outcome of the Durban Review Conference held in the framework of the UNGA from 20 - 24 April 2009 including its paragraph 124" (this paragraph discusses the follow-up mechanisms to the DDPA which include the Ad Hoc Committee on the elaboration of complementary standards, the Intergovernmental Working Group on the effective implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action and the Independent Eminent Experts' Group).

Germany, who boycotted Durban II, but later announced that it supports its outcome document, said after the vote that it ["H]as made known its position on the Durban Review Conference outcome document...and could support the consensus on resolution L.15."

Canada, Italy and Netherlands dissociated themselves from the consensus on the draft.

This resolution extends the mandate of the Intergovernmental Working Group for a period of three years.