Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination Closes One Hundred and Seventh Session in Geneva after Adopting Concluding Observations on Benin, Nicaragua, United States, Azerbaijan, Slovakia, Zimbabwe and Suriname

The Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination this afternoon closed its one hundred and seventh session in Geneva after adopting concluding observations on anti-discrimination efforts by Benin, Nicaragua, United States, Azerbaijan, Slovakia, Zimbabwe and Suriname. 

Verene Albertha Shepherd, Committee Chairperson, said this had been an intense but productive session and thanked her colleagues and all who had contributed to the Committee’s work.  The Committee had examined the situation in Azerbaijan, Benin, Nicaragua, Slovakia, Suriname, United States and Zimbabwe.  The Committee expressed its regret at having to review Nicaragua in the absence of a delegation. 

The concluding observations of the Committee are available on the webpage of the session.

Ms. Shepherd said the Committee also considered one follow-up report from Belgium, and adopted a statement under its early warning and urgent action procedure on the tragic events that took place at the border of Morocco and Spain in June 2022.  The Committee adopted a decision on the admissibility and merits regarding communication 66/2017, Breleur vs. France.

The Committee held a day of general discussion as a first step towards the elaboration of its general recommendation on racial discrimination and the right to health.  The Committee would pursue its work on this recommendation and other avenues for consultation would take place.  

In the context of improving their working methods and rules of procedure, the Committee decided to formally “adopt” the Addis-Abeba guidelines on the independence and impartiality of treaty bodies members.  The Committee also adopted its annual report to the General Assembly.

Committee Expert Amir Noureddin thanked Ms. Shepherd for her work as Chair.  He said more than 1,200 persons had died as a result of the floods in Pakistan and urged the international community to provide financial and medical support to the people of Pakistan who were suffering. 

Summaries of the public meetings of the Committee can be found here, while webcasts of the public meetings can be found here.  The programme of work of the Committee’s one hundred and seventh session and other documents related to the session can be found here.

The Committee’s one hundred and eighth session is scheduled to be held from 14 November to 2 December 2022 during which it is expected to consider the reports of Bahrain, Botswana, Brazil, France, Georgia and Jamaica.

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