RES/30/17 Forum on people of African descent in the diaspora

Human Rights Council Thirtieth session Agenda item 9

Resolution adopted by the Human Rights Council on 2 October 2015

30/17. Forum on people of African descent in the diaspora

The Human Rights Council,

Recalling all its previous resolutions and those of the erstwhile Commission on Human Rights on the subject of the elimination of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, and stressing in this regard the primacy of the full and effective implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action,

Reaffirming all previous resolutions of the General Assembly on the imperative need to eliminate racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance,

Reaffirming also in the above context all previous resolutions of the General Assembly on the International Decade for People of African Descent,

Recalling paragraph 7 of the Durban Programme of Action,

Underlining in particular General Assembly resolutions 68/237 of 23 December 2013 and 69/16 of 18 November 2014, by which the Assembly proclaimed the International Decade for People of African Descent and adopted its programme of activities,

Recalling General Assembly resolutions 56/266 of 27 March 2002 and 59/177 of 20 December 2004 on the appointment and the mandate of the independent eminent experts in mobilizing the necessary political will required for the successful implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action,

1. Commends the important work undertaken by the independent eminent experts in the execution of their mandate, and welcomes their report;A/HRC/26/56.

2. Requests the Secretary-General, through the General Assembly, to review and rescind the mandate of the independent eminent experts for the successful implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action and to allocate its resources to the establishment of a forum on people of African descent, consistent with paragraph 29 (i) of the annex to Assembly resolution 69/16;

3. Recommends in the above context that the mandate of the forum on people of African descent serve as a consultative mechanism for people of African descent in the diaspora as well as an advisory body to the Human Rights Council on the plight and needs of the people of African Descent with a view to achieving the following objectives:

(a) Full political, economic and social inclusion of people of African descent in the societies in which they live as equal citizens enjoying substantive equality in terms of their rights;

(b) To provide expert advice and recommendations aimed at addressing challenges of all the scourges of racism confronted by people of African descent in the diaspora and that impede the full and effective realization of all their human rights and fundamental freedoms;

(c) To identify and analyse best practices, challenges, opportunities and initiatives for the further implementation of the provisions of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action relevant to people of African descent in the diaspora;

(d) To monitor and review progress on the implementation of the programme of activities of the International Decade for People of African Descent, and to this end to gather relevant information from Governments, United Nations bodies and organs, intergovernmental organizations, non-governmental organizations and other relevant sources;

(e) To prepare and disseminate information on issues relating to people of African descent;

(f) To raise awareness and promote integration and coordination of activities relating to people of African descent within the United Nations system;

(g) To coordinate programmes aimed at human development indices among the communities of people of African descent in the diaspora with indicators directly relevant to their development needs;

4. Recommends that the General Assembly precede the launch of the forum with regional consultations in regions where people of African descent in the diaspora live and are citizens, for the purpose of transparency, participation and inclusivity with regard to the structure of the proposed forum;

5. Decides that the mandate, modalities and the structure of the forum will be finalized following the above-mentioned regional consultations in areas where people of African descent live, and bearing in mind their views and priorities;

6. Also decides to remain seized of this priority matter.

42nd meeting 2 October 2015

[Adopted by a recorded vote of 32 to 12, with 3 abstentions. The voting was as follows:

In favour: Algeria, Argentina, Bangladesh, Bolivia (Plurinational State of ), Botswana, Brazil, China, Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Cuba, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Mexico, Morocco, Namibia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Paraguay, Qatar, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Sierra Leone, South Africa, United Arab Emirates, Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of), Viet Nam

Against: Albania, Estonia, France, Germany, Ireland, Latvia, Montenegro, Netherlands, Portugal, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, United States of America

Abstaining: Japan, Maldives, Republic of Korea]