COUNCIL HEARS STATEMENT BY AFRICAN GROUP ON A CODE OF CONDUCT FOR SPECIAL PROCEDURES MANDATES

The Council this afternoon heard a presentation by Council President Luis Alfonso de Alba of a Presidential text on institution-building, which aimed to serve as a basis for discussions on finalizing the institution-building of the Council during its fifth session. Algeria also made a statement on behalf of the African Group on a code of conduct for Special Procedures other mandate holders of the Council, and calling on all Members to submit any comments or reactions that could help to reach a consensus on that issue.

As set out in General Assembly resolution 60/251, establishing the Human Rights Council, the Council had to assume, review and rationalize all mandates, mechanisms, functions and responsibilities of the former Commission on Human Rights in order to maintain a system of Special Procedures, expert advice and a complaint procedure within one year after the holding of its first session. That work therefore had to be completed by Monday, 18 June.

Introducing his consolidated text on institution-building, Human Rights Council President, Luis Alfonso De Alba, said that the document had been the outcome of a lengthy process of consultations within the institutional Working Groups. The document had already been presented on 4 June, and informally dealt with last week. It remained important to point out the vital contribution of the facilitators. It was not a version that had only been drafted by the Chairmen of the Working Groups, but represented a compilation of views. The document aimed at bridging gaps and finding solutions that might be acceptable to everyone before 18 June. The idea was to give a joint overview of the subjects entrusted to the President of the Council. Concerning the segment on Special Procedures, the thematic mandates were not singled out from the geographical ones. The intention was not to prejudge the dates on which the Council might consider this. The document contained the proposed agenda, and the programme of work could be adjusted. Important work was still pending on the code of conduct. In that regard, the African Group had informed him that a new version of the code had been drafted.

Ambassador Idriss Jazairy of Algeria, speaking on behalf of the African Group, said that a revised draft resolution on a code of conduct would be presented for mandate holders and the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council. The African Group extended thanks to those Member States and non-governmental organizations that had participated in the open-ended consultations on the Code, and had integrated their suggestions in the draft text. The code of conduct aimed at enhancing the moral standing and credibility of mandate holders in order to create a situation in which the code would never need to be used, as everyone understood. It would ensure ethical behaviour and that everyone knew where the red lines were. What the Council was trying to do was not to promote the interests of the African Group, but to promote the interests of the United Nations Members.

The text was being submitted in a spirit of partnership and in a search for consensus, and it was hoped that all shared in the spirit of good-will. The African Group continued to be anxious to receive comments, and wished for any reaction that could help to reach the consensus, which it was hoped would not be difficult to reach.

The Council will meet at 10 a.m. on Thursday, 14 June to continue to discuss the institution building process of the Council.


For use of the information media; not an official record

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