Organizational Meeting - 63rd Session of the Human Rights Council

Good afternoon, colleagues. I see everybody settling down. I'd like to personally welcome everybody back. This signifies the beginning of working months ahead after a very slow August. So welcome back. I myself am very happy to be back. I think I gained a few kilos. I was expecting to lose. I think I gained a few. Excellencies, distinguished participants, the organizational meeting of the 63rd session of the Human Rights Council is now open. This meeting is organized in line with Rule 8 of the Council's Rules of Procedure. We are going to review the draft program of work and share information on draft resolutions and other initiatives planned during the 63rd session. I have the pleasure now of welcoming Ms. Awa Dabo, the Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights. Pursuant to President's statement PRSTOS/19/1, Ms. Dabo will provide an updated and comprehensive assessment of the feasibility of implementing the activities that have been identified as non-deliverable in 2025 and/or 2026 and the criteria underpinning such assessments. as well as any other activities mandated by the Council during the 2025-2027 that might be affected by the liquidity and financial crisis. Delegations will be given an opportunity to ask questions or make comments after the update. We will then proceed to other outstanding business, including consideration of the extraordinary modalities of the 63rd session, the overview of the draft program of work and sharing information on draft resolutions and other initiatives planned during the upcoming regular session. Excellencies, distinguished participants, I now have the honor to give the floor to Ms. Dabo for her update on the activities that had been identified by the OHCHR as non-deliverable, as well as any other activities mandated by the council that might be affected by the ongoing liquidity and financial crisis. Madam, you have the floor.

Thank you. Mr. President, Excellencies, distinguished delegates, good afternoon. I am here today, as mentioned by the President, pursuant to President's statement OS19/1, to update the Council on the Office's assessment of the feasibility of implementing the activities have been identified as non deliverable in 2025 and 2026 as well as any other activities mandated by the council during the period 2025 to 2027 that might be affected by the fluid liquidity situation that the secretariat faces first to provide context allow me to recall that the approved regular budget for the office for 2026 amounts to 221.19 million US dollars, representing a reduction of 25.28 million dollars US, compared to 246.47 million US dollars approved in 2025. Since my previous update on 1st June, OHCHR has received an additional amount bringing our allotment currently at around 80%. However, the timing of the release in trenches of what remains a partial allocation or partial allotment limits the office's ability to effectively manage its operations, which often require long-term planning and also limits the support to the implementation of mandated activities within the resources available at a given time. While the office makes every effort to fulfill mandates entrusted to it by the council, mandated activities continue to be affected by the ongoing liquidity situation and recruitment restrictions. I recall here that intergovernmental working groups, expert mechanisms, and special procedures established by the council continue to operate under reduced modalities, including fewer sessions, reduced meeting times, and a significantly curtailed number of country visits. For special procedure mandate holders at present, country visits are still being maintained at the reduced rate of approximately one visit per year per mandate. Due to the same constraints, the Office is currently unable to proceed with the organization of the 35th session of the Human Rights Council Advisory Committee and the 37th session of the Working Group on Communications of the Council Complaints Procedure, both scheduled to have taken place in Geneva earlier this month. Mr. President, allow me to turn to mandates that are due at the upcoming 63rd session of the Council. I am pleased to confirm that all thematic reports for this session previously identified as at risk for non-delivery are now expected to be delivered, as indicated in my previous update. These include the report on the impact of the use of strategic lawsuits against public participation on the enjoyment and realization of human rights, in particular the right to freedom of opinion and expression, pursuant to Council resolution 56/7 of July 2024. and the report on best practices of states, local governments and other relevant stakeholders in overcoming the various challenges that local governments face in promoting and protecting human rights pursuant to Council resolution 57/12 of October 2024. The preparation of both reports for the upcoming session was made possible by holding scaled-down online activities last year. Whilst this was a necessary cost-saving measure, Online meetings often conducted in one language only reduce the ability to ensure diverse and wide participation of stakeholders. In addition, two reports flagged as delayed in my previous update and postponed to the 63rd session are now on track for submission to the upcoming session. They are namely the report of the Secretary-General on prevention of genocide with a particular focus on early warning and prevention, mandated in Council resolution 55.1/13 to be submitted both to the Human Rights Council and the General Assembly, and the analytical study of OHCHR on protection gaps of vulnerable segments of the population regarding access to medicines, vaccines and other health products, in the context of the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health mandated in Council resolution 59/7. I wish to draw your attention, however, to the fact that these reports, as well as several others, are expected to be submitted late and available only as advanced unedited versions by the time of their consideration due to staffing constraints arising from the liquidity situation. We regret the impact that this may have on the discussions relating to these reports. Rest assured that we have endeavored to mitigate these delays as much as possible. I will now turn to the remaining mandate that the Office will also be able to implement partially to mitigate the impact of the restrictions on recruitment. Following the mandate by resolution S/37/1 of February 2025, The operationalization of the Commission of Inquiry on the Human Rights Situation in the South and North Kivu Provinces of the Democratic Republic of Congo continues to face significant constraints, due in particular to hiring restrictions. With the Commission's reporting timelines adjusted, a comprehensive written report will be presented at the 64th session during an enhanced interactive dialogue and a report presented to the General Assembly at its 82nd session. The Office was able to support the deployment of a core team to Kinshasa, as well as the Commission's first mission to the Democratic Republic of Congo in July 2026, with a second mission planned in September. Concerning the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Afghanistan, established by this Council last year in its resolution 60/2, OHCHR played a leading role in developing the mechanism's terms of reference through extensive consultations with UN entities, investigative bodies, international NGOs, and Afghan civil society organizations. To strengthen its engagement and support activities, a dedicated trust fund was created in early 2026 to finance outreach, protection measures, and cooperation with Afghan civil society, and I am pleased to report that startup staff are expected to be deployed in the coming weeks. Technical assistance and capacity building mandates of the Office unfortunately continue to be affected by the financial situation. While partial progress has been made on implementation of the Council's resolution on Somalia and Libya, the hiring restrictions continue to significantly hinder the Office's ability to fulfill its technical assistance mandate to the DRC, which requires highly specialized expertise such as forensic scientists. As mentioned in my previous update, several thematic solutions, resolutions passed by this council called for OCHR to enhance its thematic field activities, including by creating new field positions in the areas of economic, social and cultural rights, sustainable development and the right to development. Regrettably, this work continues to be significantly impacted by the inability to recruit against newly created positions due to the hiring restrictions. Nevertheless, our teams continue to strengthen engagement at field level in these areas. It has also been possible to partially implement Council resolution 56/10 on peaceful protests to further the operationalizing of the mandate in all five planned countries. Mr. President, recent efforts made by delegation to streamline, downsize, merge, or conclude mandates are significant. Such rationalization initiatives remain critical to ensuring the effectiveness of the Council within the current circumstances without prejudice to the integrity of its mandate. Allow me to recall that the Human Rights Council mapper is a useful tool at the disposal of Member States when developing, reviewing and renewing mandates. While it has not been developed to the full extent due to the liquidity crisis by providing a structured overview of Council resolutions, managed activities, mechanisms and indicative requirements, The human rights mapper can support more informed decision making and can help identify potential duplication, overlap and opportunities for greater coherence and efficiency. As always, the Office remains available to provide guidance on efficiency and rationalization measures and encourages early engagement to help prevent unintended protection gaps. I also take the opportunity to provide a brief update on work stream two of the UN 80 initiative on mandate implementation review in the follow-up of the General Assembly resolution 80/251. On 31st July, the Secretary General released his report on mandate implementation review, examining how mandates are created, delivered and reviewed across the General Assembly, the Security Council, the Economic and Social Council and the Human Rights Council and their subsidiary bodies. The report does not assess the merits of individual mandates, which remain the responsibility of member states. Instead, the report focuses on systemic challenges, including duplications, weak coordination, fragmentation, mandated resource gaps, and uneven review mechanisms, and sets out possible solutions, some within the Secretary-General's authority and others requiring member states' action. OHCHR remains closely engaged in the process and with ad hoc working groups provides technical input at the request of co-chairs and supports New York Geneva coordination across intergovernmental bodies. Mr. President, Excellencies, distinguished delegates, in line with our commitment to transparency, the High Commissioner and our office remain available to the Council, to delegations and other stakeholders. for any further clarification on mandated activities and challenges posed by current liquidity constraints. I must again underscore the critical importance of all member states meeting their assessed contributions in full and on time, which remains essential for the organization to plan delivery on its mandates. I remain grateful for your attention and for the spirit of cooperation that continues to guide our shared efforts. Thank you.

I thank the Deputy High Commissioner for her update. We take note of the information provided concerning the current status of implementation of mandated activities. I would now like to open the floor for delegations wishing to ask questions or make comments on the update by the Deputy High Commissioner.

Thank you.

I see no request for the floor. I would like to thank the Deputy High Commissioner for her update. Thank you. Excellencies, distinguished participants, allow me to recall that as noted in Bureau minutes of 15 July 2026, the cash conservation measures that have been put in place by the United Nations Office in Geneva in 2025 would continue until further notice. This entails the continuing need to reduce the number of Council meetings by at least 10% below the 2024 levels. The Council achieved this 10% reduction at both its 61st and 62nd sessions by adopting extraordinary time-saving modalities. The Bureau was informed by the Secretariat that were the Council to apply the same modalities to the 63rd session, the required 10% reduction would again be met. Consequently, the Bureau agreed to propose to the Council for its approval the following extraordinary modalities for the 63rd session, namely, the speaking time limits for general debates would be one minute, 30 seconds for all, and the duration of interactive dialogues and enhanced interactive dialogues would be capped at one hour and 30 minutes with 15 minutes allocated to mandate holders, one hour to states, and 15 minutes to NGOs. Let me underscore once again that these measures constitute a set of extraordinary measures applicable only for the 63rd session of the Council in response to the current financial and liquidity crisis. Let me also reaffirm, as the Bureau did, the importance of preserving multilingualism and accessibility in spite of the current financial situation. Are there now any members of the Council wishing to comment on the above proposal? I see no request for the floor. Can I therefore take it that the Council adopts these extraordinary measures for the 63rd session which do not constitute a precedent and will be recorded in the report of the sixty-third session in order to serve as a point of reference in the future. It is so decided. Excellencies, distinguished participants, for meetings of the sixty-third regular session of the Human Rights Council, States and other observers, NGOs in consultative status with ECOSOC and NHRI with A status will continue to have possibility to deliver their statements in person or via pre-recorded video statement. May I please encourage all delegations that are submitting video statements to ensure that the audio is of sufficient high quality to permit interpretation. In the past, we had some cases in which the quality had not permitted interpretation of the video and therefore were not played to us. Are there any delegation wishing to take the floor on the issue of modalities for the session? I see no request for the floor. Thank you. Excellencies, distinguished representatives, let me now turn to the program of work for the 63rd regular session of the Council, which is scheduled to open on Monday, 7 September at 10 a.m., two weeks from now. The latest draft program of work is available on the HRC portal. Our new online platform, which replaces the former HRC extranet, so now it's called the HRC portal. It is a living document that is updated on a regular basis. In this connection, an online presentation of the upgraded HRC portal will be held tomorrow, Tuesday, 25th of August at 11:00 AM, followed by an informal briefing for new delegates. I will revert to both at the end of this meeting. Let me thank you in advance for your cooperation in respecting the speaking time limits in order to complete the adjusted programme of work on time. The events online inscription system for States to inscribe on the list of speakers for all general debates, interactive dialogues and panel discussion will open on Monday, 31 August at 10 a.m. The list of speakers will close approximately 15 minutes after the beginning of each debate. I kindly ask all delegations to respect the deadlines. The online system for the list of speakers for the adoption of UPR outcomes will open on Monday, 14 September at 9 a.m. and close on Thursday, 17 September at 6 p.m. No inscriptions will be possible after this deadline. For national human rights institutions and non-governmental organizations, the list of speakers for all debates during the session will open online on Tuesday, 1 September at 2 p.m. For indigenous peoples, the list of speakers for the interactive dialogue with the special rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples and with the expert mechanism on the rights of indigenous peoples, as well as for the annual panel discussion on the rights of indigenous peoples, We'll also open online on 1st September at 2:00 PM via the events platform. The procedure for registration for the list of speakers for panel discussions and interactive dialogue will be the same as for previous sessions. Interested states will be asked to rank panels and interactive dialogues in the order of their priorities. Speaking slots will be allocated by the system taking into account their priorities. If the number of states indicating the highest priority for particular debate exceeds the maximum number of available speaking slots, the slots will be allocated on a first come, first serve basis. Excellencies, distinguished representatives, during the 63rd session, the Council will hold six panel discussions. I would like to now invite the main sponsors to provide a brief update on these panel discussions. Delegations wishing to share information on the draft resolutions and other initiatives will have a chance to do so later. First, the panel discussion on progress, challenges and opportunities in promoting and protecting economic, social and cultural rights within the context of addressing inequalities. will be held pursuant to Council Resolution 60/14. And I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of China to introduce this initiative on behalf of the main sponsors. You have the floor, madam.

Mr. President, colleagues, Pursuant to HRC resolution 60/14 entitled Promoting and Protecting Economic, Social and Cultural Rights within the Context of Addressing Inequalities, the Council will hold a panel discussion on this theme during its 63rd session under agenda item three on 9 September 2026 from 4 to 6 pm. China, speaking on behalf of the core group comprising Bolivia, China, Egypt, Pakistan and South Africa, wishes to share some information regarding preparation for this meeting. Economic, social and cultural rights have long been denied the attention they deserve amid multiple intertwined global challenges, including resource constraints. inequalities at both the international and national levels have become increasingly pronounced, severely hindering the enjoyment of human rights by all and the achievement of the SDGs. The panel discussion aims to examine progress, challenges and opportunities in promoting and protecting economic, social and cultural rights within the context of addressing inequalities. Discussions will cover the impact of the liquidity crisis on OHCHR's work in this domain and encourage Member States, UN mechanisms, CSOs and other stakeholders to share experiences, challenges and best practices. It will also explore how the Office, within its mandate, can support Member States in promoting and protecting ESC rights and enhance advisory services and technical assistance provided to Member States. The panel will feature opening remarks by the High Commissioner, taking into account geographical and gender balance. The panel will include representatives of Member States, UN human rights mechanisms, NGOs and national human rights institutions. A substantive report of discussion will be submitted to the 66th session of the HRC followed by an interactive dialogue. The concept paper for the panel has already been uploaded to the extranet. We also wish to thank the Office for its preparations for this panel. We look forward to the active participation of all delegations and to a candid dialogue that broadens consensus and gives new impetus to international cooperation in the field of ESC rights. Thank you, President.

Thank you. Second is the biennial panel discussion on the right to development. It will be held pursuant to Council Resolution 43/23 and 60/7. It will focus on the theme of commemoration of the 40th anniversary of the Declaration on the Right to Development. The panel will be made accessible to persons with disabilities. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Uganda on behalf of the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries to introduce this initiative.

Thank you, Mr. President. Good afternoon. On behalf of the non-aligned movement, we are privileged and happy to introduce the biannual panel discussion on the right to development under the theme that you just eloquently elaborated. Mr. President, the objective of the panel is, as you said, to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the adoption of the United Nations Declaration on the Right to Development, but also it is to reaffirm the commitment of the international community towards the effective realization of the right to development. It takes nobody to think twice more than ever than today that the right to development is something that we can't all elude or avoid or pretend not to know. And we are happy as an unaligned movement to be bringing together a team that will be chaired by yourself, Mr. President, and we'll have the speakers, particularly the Deputy High Commissioner will be making opening remarks and we are happy that the panel is very well constituted. It will consist of Delegates or panellists from the diplomatic institutions will have a Member State, we will have representatives from the expert mechanism, and then we will also have the academia present. Mr President, the main outcome will be a report. that will be submitted to the Human Rights Council, but beyond it will be a comprehensive stocktaking of achievements and challenges and obstacles that are obstructing the realization of the right to development, including the much needed need to finalize the adoption of the covenant on the right to development. We see you then, it will be on Friday, 11th at 10 a.m. to 12. And we invite everyone to join us constructively, I thank you.

Thank you, Madam. Third is the high panel discussion on the 15th anniversary of the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Education and Training, good practices, challenges, and the way forward. This will be held in line with Council Resolution 57/10. The panel will be made accessible to persons with disabilities. And I'll give the floor to the distinguished representative of the Philippines to introduce this initiative on behalf of the main sponsors.

Thank you, Mr. President. The high-level panel discussion marking the 15th anniversary of the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Education and Training will take place on Tuesday, 15 September 2026, 00 AM to 12:00 PM. This is pursuant to Human Rights Council Resolution 57/10 presented by Brazil, Costa Rica, Italy, Morocco, Senegal, Slovenia, Thailand, and the Philippines, and adopted by consensus in 2024. Under the theme, the 15th anniversary of the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Education and Training, good practices, challenges and the way forward. The panel will reflect on progress made since the adoption of the declaration in 2011 and consider good practices, challenges and the way forward for strengthening its implementation. In synergy with the ongoing fifth phase from 2025 to 2026 of the World Programme for Human Rights Education, it will focus on human rights education for children and the youth. The panel discussion is expected to contribute to, among others, first, illustrate the continued relevance of the declaration. Second, review good practices in implementing the declaration and the World Programme for Human Rights Education. And third, explore how governments, national human rights institutions, and civil society can further collaborate in advancing human rights education. Human rights education and training remains one of the most powerful tools we have for building a universal culture of human rights. And this anniversary is a fitting moment to renew our collective commitment to its effective implementation. We warmly invite all delegations, civil society and other stakeholders to an open and constructive exchange of views. Thank you very much, Mr. President.

Thank you. Fourth is the high level panel discussion on the 60th anniversary of the international covenants on human rights, universality, indivisibility, interdependence and interrelatedness of all human rights will be held pursuant to council resolution 61/7. The panel will be made accessible to persons with disabilities. And I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of the Russian Federation to introduce the panel on behalf of the main sponsors. You have the floor.

Thank you, President. Could we return to our presentation a little later? Thank you.

Okay, can you come to your presentation after the sixth presentation? So we go to the sixth and then we return to you. Okay, very good. Okay, fifth is the annual panel discussion on the right of indigenous peoples will be held pursuant to council resolutions 18/8. and 60/13. It will focus on the theme of Convention for the Protection of World Cultural and Natural Heritage, Indigenous Peoples' Rights and Engagement. The panel will be made accessible to persons with disabilities. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Mexico to introduce the panel on behalf of the main sponsors. Madam, you have the floor.

Thank you very much, President, and it's an honor for me to take the floor on behalf of Mexico and Guatemala to introduce to you the annual half-day panel discussion on the rights of indigenous peoples, which will be held on the 23rd of September of this year. The roundtable will be dedicated to the Convention for the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, Indigenous Peoples' Rights and Engagement, and this is pursuant to resolution 60/13 adopted by this Council on the 7th of October 2025. What we'll try and do during this discussion is to try and assess the impact of the UNESCO convention on human rights of indigenous peoples, particularly in terms of land, resources and and religious and cultural sites, as well as the right of indigenous peoples to protect and develop their cultural heritage and to freely seek their economic, social and cultural development pursuant to the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. We will promote an exchange of experiences on the recognition of cultural values and the rights of indigenous peoples linked to their lands, territories and resources and their connection to the environment under the convention, including the exceptional value of UNESCO world heritage sites. We will identify good practice and challenges in the inclusion and participation of indigenous peoples in the identification nomination, management and protection of all of these heritage sites. The roundtable will include Aguwa Daboh's statement at the opening of the session, and we will have the participation of three experts in this area. and pursuant to resolution 60/13 this will be the first opportunity for representatives of indigenous peoples to take part in this round table identified as indigenous peoples and not as representatives of civil society. and the concept note of this roundtable is already available on the new Human Rights Council portal. We thank the Secretariat for all their support in putting this together. We would urge States, indigenous peoples and civil society organizations to actively, constructively participate in this roundtable. Thank you, President.

Thank you. Now we turn to the sixth And that is the annual discussion on the integration of a gender perspective throughout the work of the Human Rights Council and that of its mechanisms, which will be held pursuant to Council resolution 6/30. It will focus on the theme of from gender stereotypes to structural discrimination, strengthening the Human Rights Council response. And I'll give the floor to the distinguished representative of Chile to introduce this initiative. have the floor sir

thank you very much president it's an honor for me to introduce uh this panel as part of the annual discussion on the integration of agenda perspective throughout the work of the human rights council and that of its mechanisms pursuant to resolution 630 which was adopted by consensus uh this will be held on the 29th of September this year the focus uh and the theme will will be from gender stereotypes to structural discrimination, strengthening the Human Rights Council's response. We want to assess how gender discrimination affects discrimination and inequality and how they have an impact on the full enjoyment of human rights. We will also discuss States' international obligations to tackle socio-cultural patterns and the norms that underpin such practices. We hope to identify good practices and innovative approaches to ensure that we can change discriminatory social norms and make progress with gender stereotypes, both in the public and the private sphere. We also want to better understand all of this and take it on as a human rights challenge. We particularly thank the Office of the High Commissioner for their commitment and dedication in preparing this panel. And we wanted to inform you that on the extra net of the Council, you will find the concept note for this meeting. Thank you.

Thank you. Next, can I turn to the Russian delegation to provide us on a brief update on the fourth high level panel. discussion on the 60th anniversary of the International Covenants on Human Rights, universality, indivisibility, interdependence and interrelatedness of all human rights. Madam, you have the floor.

Thank you, President. The Russian Federation has the honor to present the thematic high-level panel dedicated to the 60th anniversary of the adoption of the ICCPR and the ICESCR, the two covenants. This will be held on the 17th of September 2026 from 10 until 12 in the Assembly Hall. The main purpose of the thematic discussion is to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the two international covenants. The discussion will be held under your chairmanship, President, and the main purposes of the discussion are to underscore the fundamental importance of the two covenants on human rights, to demonstrate how the two covenants have shaped people's everyday lives, how they have legal, political, and other changes at the national and local levels, to consider the existing gaps and problems which jeopardize the full realization of all human rights contained in the two international covenants, to underscore the universality, indivisibility, interdependence and interrelatedness of all human rights, and also the mutually reinforcing relationship between the two covenants, and to renew dedication and efforts towards the universal ratification of the two covenants. This event will be pursuant to Human Rights Council resolution 61/7, and the main theme of the discussion is the 60th anniversary of the International Covenants on Human Rights, universality, indivisibility, interdependence and interrelatedness of all human rights. The event will be open to participation by States, civil society representatives and any other interested parties. And measures will be taken to ensure accessibility for persons with disabilities. Thank you.

Thank you. This now concludes the updates on the panel discussion. I encourage all participants to consult the concept notes that have been made available and will be updated on the HRC portal in the coming days. Excellencies, distinguished representatives, we will now continue with the overview of the program of work. The session will begin with presentation of the oral update of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. During the session, the Council will hold 27 interactive dialogues with special procedure mandate holders, expert mechanisms and investigative mechanisms, six interactive dialogues with the High Commissioner or his office, four enhanced interactive dialogues, one interactive dialogue with the Assistant Secretary General for Human Rights, and one interactive dialogue with the Advisory Committee. Pursuant to Council Resolution 37/25, I invited the President of the ECOSOC to brief the Council on the outcomes of the High-level Political Forum and on progress in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The President of ECOSOC is expected to brief the Council on Wednesday, September 16th. Moreover, in accordance with Council Resolution 45/31, I invited the Chair of the PBC to brief the Council on the work of the Commission. I regret to inform you, however, that the Chair informed me that he is not in a position to brief the Council as requested. As President, I remain committed to exploring formal ways for the Council to benefit from other relevant bodies, including the PBC. Towards the end of the session, the Council is expected to appoint seven Special Procedure mandate holders. In its report of August 7, 2026, The Consultative Group submitted its recommendations for six of the seven vacancies. My list of proposed candidates for those six vacancies will be circulated and posted to the HRC portal as soon as possible following broad consultations. As indicated in its report, the Consultative Group was unable to complete its consideration of the remaining vacancy. that of a member from the African States of the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances. I look forward to receiving its recommendations for that mandate. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the members of the Consultative Group for their work. I wish to highlight that the current draft programme of work includes an enhanced interactive dialogue on the report of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the independent investigative mechanisms for Myanmar, scheduled to take place on 7 September. Allow me to recall that on 12 January of this year, the Bureau took note of the Secretariat's explanation that the situation concerning the representation of Myanmar at the General Assembly had remained unchanged since 2021 and pending a change of the status quo in the Credentials Committee of the General Assembly concerning the postponement of its consideration of the credentials pertaining to the representatives of Myanmar, the Council Secretariat cannot process the registration of anyone as part of the delegation of Myanmar in the Council in 2026. This is in fact a decision of the Bureau endorsed by the Council and has since become the practice since 2020, 2021, 2022. On 15 July, in accordance with the previous Council decisions since its 47th session in June 2021, the Bureau agreed that it will continue the past practice and proposed to the Council that the enhanced interactive dialogue on Myanmar scheduled to take place during the 63rd session proceed as scheduled without the participation of the country concerned. Such a proposal is made on the basis that this exceptional circumstances does not set a precedent for the future. At this stage, would any member of the Council would like to comment on this proposal? Do I see any requests for the floor? I see none. So I take it that the Council accepts the Bureau proposal to continue to enhance the interactive dialogue on Myanmar as scheduled without the participation of the country concerned. Are there any delegation wishing to take the floor at this stage to make comments on the draft program of work as it currently stands? I see no request for the floor to comment on the draft program of work. Thank you. Excellencies, distinguished representatives, The deadline for submitting draft proposals for the 63rd session will be Thursday, 24 September at 1 p.m. Any request for extension should be approved by the Council before the deadline and only under exceptional circumstances and for a maximum of 24 hours. In this context, let me kindly ask all delegations to submit their draft proposals on time. The e-delegate platform will continue to be used for the submission and sponsorship of draft resolutions. States are encouraged to check in advance that they have access to e-delegate. Now I invite delegations to share information on draft resolutions and other initiatives. Delegations wishing to take the floor in the room should raise their nameplates. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of China, followed by the UK and Cyprus.

Mr. President, China wishes to thank the OHCHR for the briefing. We regret that a number of actions mandated by the Council have not been implemented. And this year marks the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the Council. The General Assembly has adopted by consensus a resolution of the review of the Council status with the ongoing human rights reforms. China will continue to constructively participate in the discussions of Council, promote dialogue and cooperation, oppose confrontation to promote the global human rights governance. Mr. President, the accessibility is a hallmark of a civilized nation and society. In 2024 October, the 57th session of the Human Rights Council adopted by consensus the resolution on accessibility to promote the enjoyment of human rights by all submitted by China on behalf of 30 countries, including Cameroon, Honduras, Pakistan, and Turkey. This resolution introduced for the first time the concept of accessibility for all to the UN, greatly raising awareness and attention, promoting international cooperation in relevant fields and providing safeguards for equal participation in social life of all. To further implement this solution and advance the cause of accessibility, at this session we will The core group will once again propose a thematic resolution on accessibility for all and organize accompanying events. We welcome all parties to engage constructively in the consultations on the resolution and participate actively in the related events organized by China. We look forward to exchanging views and to ensure an empowered environment for accessibility initiatives for everybody to enjoy their human rights. Thank you, Mr. President.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of UK, followed by Cyprus and Cuba.

President. On behalf of the core group comprised of Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway and the UK, we will be presenting a resolution under item two responding to the human rights and humanitarian crisis caused by the ongoing armed conflict in Sudan. The main purpose of the resolution is to extend the mandate of the fact-finding mission, which we believe is doing crucial, unique work on our behalf. This Council has met twice in this last year, first to condemn the horrifying scenes in El Fasher and just before the summer break to raise the alarm on escalating atrocities in El Obeid. It is clear that the fact-finding mission on Sudan is needed now more than ever. As the ongoing conflict in Sudan continues to devastate civilian lives, the fact-finding mission's efforts to document human rights violations and abuses must continue in order to ensure justice for victims and to end impunity. We will hold open informal meetings in line with standard practice and hope delegations will be able to support this resolution. Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Cyprus, followed by Cuba and Cote d'Ivoire.

Cyprus would like to inform about a side event we will co-host.

With Iceland and the UN Women's Peace and Humanitarian Fund on September 9th.

Entitled Providing Protection and Advocacy Support to Women Human Rights Defenders in Times of Crisis.

The event will examine challenges faced by women human rights defenders on the ground, highlight the innovative ways in which.

They are adapting and responding to challenges, and explore how the international.

Community and human rights stakeholders can better support those at the forefront of defending human rights worldwide. We will circulate the save the date and further details shortly.

Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Cuba, followed by Cote d'Ivoire and Italy.

Thank you very much, President. Next Tuesday, the 8th of September, In the afternoon, we'll have an interactive dialogue on unilateral coercive measures. The mandate holder will present the report of the official visit that her predecessor carried out to Cuba in November 2025. The report, which we believe is objective, has a legal analysis. showing the illegal nature and the cruel, inhuman impact of the measures imposed by the United States against Cuba nearly 70 years ago. There are many factual examples in the document showing the devastating impact on all the Cuban people of unilateral coercive measures, especially the impact on women, children, older persons, persons with disabilities, and persons with chronic diseases. As the rapporteur's report shows, the coercive measures imposed on Cuba are a massive, flagrant and systematic violation of the rights of the Cuban people, the right to education, to health, the right to have a decent life and the right to enjoy social, economic, cultural and development rights. Ten months after the visit of the special the US coercive measures have actually been ratcheted up to extreme levels. There's now an energy blockade against Cuba and the US is preventing any entry of fuel into the island and any entry which is either trade or humanitarian in nature. They are seeking the total destabilization of the country to open the door for a military intervention. But we don't stand alone. Many countries have denounced this situation and we thank them. And this has also happened in the Human Rights Council. Any state could be the next in line. We see. that nobody is stopping this barbaric action against the Cuban people. We urge delegations to intervene during the dialogue with the special rapporteur on the 8th of September and to support the recommendations in the report relating to the visit to Cuba. President, during this session, we will be submitting a draft resolution aiming to renew the mandate of the independent expert on the promotion of a democratic and fair global order. The work of this mandate is essential given the current global context. Every person has the right to a global order based on justice, human dignity, mutual understanding and the respect of cultural understanding. Cuba will also submit a draft resolution on the use of mercenaries as a way of preventing people's rights to self-determination. The work of the working group on the use of mercenaries is absolutely essential in order to ensure that we can counter any mercenary activities that run counter to the goals and principles of the UN Charter. They threaten peace and security and the self-determination of peoples. They are a barrier to the enjoyment of human rights. We would invite all delegations, civil society organisations and other relevant stakeholders to actively become involved and to constructively participate in the consultations that we will organise on both of these draft resolutions. Next Wednesday, 9 September, we will be organising a side event on the extreme increase in the unilateral coercive measures imposed on Cuba and their impact on human rights. We trust that we will enjoy the participation and involvement of all interested parties.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Cote d'Ivoire, followed by Italy and Iraq.

Mr. President, it's an honor for me to bring to your attention that in the coming session, the permanent mission of Cote d'Ivoire, jointly with the permanent mission of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, will be organizing the Together also with an NGO, we will be organizing a special session on human rights field and ways forward. This is a direct threat to the right to life, to health, and a sustainable and healthy environment. It will be a high-level panel bringing together experts and the new rapporteur on toxic waste. It will also bring together private and public sector stakeholders. It will be held on the 16th of September from 1 to 2 p.m. as a side event. We will be very happy to see the participation and active involvement of all delegations and stakeholders at this important side event. Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Italy, followed by Iraq and Indonesia.

Thank you, Mr. President. During the 63rd session, Italy is pleased to support the side event, Bringing Human Rights to Life Through Theatre, organized by the Office of the High Commissioner in collaboration with Italian organization RAICES on 15 September. Combining a theatrical performance on child soldiers with an interactive workshop for university students, This initiative aligns with both the commemoration by the high level panel of the 15th anniversary of the UN Declaration on Human Rights Education and Training and the resolution on human rights education in which Italy serves as a core group member. We firmly believe that empowering youth through innovative approaches such as art is essential to fostering a culture of peace and human dignity worldwide. Also, we are pleased to confirm Italy's full support for the side event enriching cultural heritage and collective memory through disability narratives organized by Iraq on 14 September in the framework of the group of friends for the cultural rights of persons with disabilities, which Italy currently chairs. Finally, as a member of the core group of the youth and human rights resolution promoted by El Salvador, Itai remains deeply committed to advancing this agenda as we are convinced that empowering youth and protecting their rights is fundamental to building more inclusive, resilient and democratic societies globally. I thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Iraq, followed by Indonesia and Kenya.

Thank you very much, President. It's a pleasure for us to inform you that together with the delegations of Italy, Cyprus, and Mexico, Montenegro, and Iraq, we will be organizing a side event during the 63rd session of the Human Rights Council on enriching the cultural heritage and the collective memory. We will be hearing the testimonials of persons with disabilities. It's a side event which will be held on Monday, the 14th of September from 1 to 2 p.m. in Concordia A. This initiative is part of the initiatives organized by the group of friends of persons with disabilities and it will be an opportunity to share the experiences of persons with disabilities and demonstrate how important it is for cultural heritage and collective memory. We would urge all delegations to join us. Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Indonesia, followed by Kenya and El Salvador.

Thank you, Mr. President. Indonesia will present a new draft resolution entitled Enhancing Equal Access of Children to Adequate Nutritious Food. This proposal builds on our initiative in previous session this year, including the joint statement co-sponsored by more than 70 countries, cross-regional member states, during the interactive dialogue with the special rapporteur on the right to health. The draft resolution aims to contribute to the 2030 global goal of ending all forms of malnutrition, particularly among children. We firmly believe that child malnutrition is also a human rights issue and should therefore be addressed through human rights lens. The text will call for stronger efforts by states and international community to prevent and combat all forms of child malnutrition by enhancing equal access to adequate nutritious food for all children. In support of the Council's continued efforts for rationalization and efficiency, the proposed resolution will not request any mandated activities that entail PBI. We hope for a broad support from the Council, reflecting our shared commitment to eliminating child malnutrition worldwide. Further details, including the main sponsors and schedule of informal consultation will be informed in due course. Thank you, Mr. President.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Kenya, followed by El Salvador and Bangladesh.

Thank you, Mr. President. The African group has the honor to inform the council that it will present five initiatives during the forthcoming 63rd session of the Human Rights Council under agenda items three, nine, and ten as follows. Firstly, under agenda item three, the African group will present two draft resolutions. One, the mandate of the special rapporteur on the implications of human rights for the environmental sound management and disposal of hazardous substances and wastes. The resolution seeks to extend the mandate of the special rapporteur for a further three years and underscores the importance of addressing the adverse implications that hazardous substances and wastes may have on the full enjoyment of human rights. Secondly, the mandate of the open-ended intergovernmental working group on private military and security companies. The resolution seeks to advance the work of the intergovernmental working group towards the elaboration of an international regulatory framework concerning the activities of private military and security companies. Under agenda item nine, the African group will present two draft resolutions, the mandate of the working group of experts on people of African descent. The resolution seeks to strengthen efforts towards the elimination of racial discrimination against people of African descent and the promotion and protection to their human rights. Secondly, from rhetoric to reality, a global call for concrete action against racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance. The resolution seeks to promote concrete actions towards the elimination of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance. Under agenda item 10, the African Group will present one draft resolution. It is the technical assistance and capacity building in the field of human rights in the Central African Republic. The resolution seeks to support efforts by the Central African Republic in the promotion and protection of human rights towards technical assistance and capacity building, including through the mandate of the independent expert. We look forward to engaging constructively with all delegations during the consideration of these draft resolutions and encourage broad support for these important initiatives. I thank you, Mr. President.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of El Salvador, followed by Bangladesh and Guatemala.

Mr. President, I have the honor to take the floor on behalf of the core group of the resolution on youth and human rights, composed of Cote d'Ivoire, Egypt, France, Greece, Italy, Morocco, the Philippines, Portugal, Moldova, Romania, Tunisia, Uzbekistan, and my own country, Salvador. This year marks 10 years since the Human Rights Council adopted its first resolution on youth and human rights in 2016. Over the past decade, this initiative has strengthened the recognition of young people as right holders and essential partners in advancing human rights. Yet, young people continue to face significant challenges in fully enjoying their rights. In this context, the core group will present a new draft resolution during the forthcoming session of the Council. To facilitate an open and constructive discussion, informal consultations will be held on 9 September and 11 September. The COREP group remains committed to engaging constructively with all delegations in order to present a balanced and action oriented text for adoption by consensus. I thank you, Mr. President.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Bangladesh, followed by Guatemala and Uganda.

Thank you, Mr. President. Mr. President, I have the honor to inform the Council that Bangladesh, Egypt, Nepal, and other members of our core group intend to present during the 63rd session of the Human Rights Council a draft resolution under agenda item three entitled, Implications of Artificial Intelligence for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights. Artificial intelligence is developing at an extraordinary pace and is increasingly becoming part of the way individuals, societies, governments and institutions function. Its applications are already transforming access to information, education, healthcare, scientific research, public services, and economic opportunities. We therefore approach artificial intelligence first and foremost with the recognition of its significant potential to contribute to the promotion and protection of human rights, sustainable development, and innovation. At the same time, the increasing use of AI, particularly where they influence or support decisions affecting individuals, also raises important human rights considerations. The proposed initiative, hence, seeks to provide a balanced, constructive and consensus oriented platform for the Council to consider these evolving issues specifically through the lens of international human rights law. Mr. President, We are fully mindful of the considerable work already undertaken within the United Nations system, including within this Council, on the human rights dimensions of technological changes. The proposed initiative is therefore not intended to duplicate existing processes or to create parallel mechanisms as such. Rather, our intention is to build upon existing work and provide a focused opportunity to consider how established human rights principles can remain meaningful and effective as artificial intelligence systems increasingly influence different aspects of people's lives. Moreover, We believe that international cooperation, capacity building, and meaningful participation must also form an integral part of our collective consideration of AI and human rights. Mr. President, Bangladesh, Egypt, Nepal, and other members of our core group are committed to conducting this initiative in an open, inclusive, and transparent manner. We look forward to consulting closely with all Member States and relevant stakeholders and to benefiting from their valuable views. Our objective is to work together towards a balanced and forward-looking text that can be adopted by consensus and enjoy the broadest possible support of the Council. I thank you, Mr. President.

Thank you. And I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Guatemala, followed by Uganda and Egypt.

Thank you very much, President. It's an honor to inform you all that during the 63rd session of the Human Rights Council, the core group made-up of Mexico and Guatemala will be submitting draft resolution on human rights and indigenous peoples. The draft will continue the work done by this council in this area. It will include the relevant technical updates and will reflect the most recent recommendations and activities of the expert mechanisms on the rights of indigenous peoples and the special rapporteur on indigenous peoples. Bearing in mind the liquidity crisis besetting the UN, the draft resolution will duly take into account the recommendations to streamline and rationalise the work of the Council, while bearing particular attention to the rights of indigenous peoples. We extend a cordial invitation to all delegations, to representatives of indigenous groups and to civil society to actively participate in the informal consultations, so that we have an open, inclusive, constructive process, allowing us to have a text which can enjoy the broad support of the Council.

I give the floor to a distinguished representative of Uganda, followed by Egypt and Mexico.

On behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement, would like to inform the Council that we will be tabling two resolutions under agenda item three. The first resolution, Mr. President, will be on human rights and the unilateral coercive measures. The main function of this resolution will be to extend the mandate of the special rapporteur on unilateral coercive measures. Of course, additionally, it will also reemphasize the fact that unilateral coercive measures are indeed contrary to international law, international humanitarian law, and the UN Charter. The second resolution, Mr. President, will be the annual resolution on the right to development that we have annually led. And as usual, it will be focusing on the importance of the right to development, including the need to operationalize the draft covenant on the right to development. We will hold informal consultations and the dates will be communicated in due course. I thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Egypt, followed by Mexico and Marshall Islands.

Thank you, Mr. President. I wish to make three announcements. As mentioned by Bangladesh, we are jointly going to present a draft resolution on AI. The initiative seeks to build on the Council's thematic work, the existing thematic work, and the growing discussions across the United Nations on artificial intelligence governance. The resolution will seek to promote a balanced approach that recognizes the potential of artificial intelligence to contribute to sustainable development and the realization of human rights while addressing associated risks in ensuring that its development and use remain consistent with existing international human rights law. The core group looks forward to engaging constructively with all delegations and stakeholders. Second, Egypt as a member of the group of the youth and human rights resolution, attaches particular importance to advancing and promoting the protection of human rights of youth we are pleased that the upcoming resolution will build on the work undertaken in previous Cycles ensuring continuity and effective followup to the council's previous work in this area we are mindful of the ongoing efforts to rationalize and streamline the work of the Council, and we will seek to present a focused and concise text that ensures the efficient use of the Council's resources. Third announcement, as for the biennial resolution on terrorism and human rights, which Egypt proudly presents jointly with Mexico, Our two delegations are currently consulting on the way forward for this initiative, including in light of the ongoing efforts to rationalise the work of the Councils. Our two delegations remain committed to this joint initiative and to promoting a comprehensive and balanced approach to terrorism and human rights, which recognizes both the importance of protecting human rights in the context of counterterrorism and the serious impact of terrorism itself on the enjoyment of human rights, including the right of victims and their families. We will inform the Council of the outcome of the consultations in due course. I thank you, Mr. President.

Thank you. I give now the floor to the distinguished representative of Mexico, followed by Marshall Islands and UAE.

Thank you, President. I'm very pleased to be able to inform you that during the 63rd session, Mexico will be submitting draft resolution titled the Human Rights of Migrants. Migrant migration has been and will continue to be part of the human experience, and it has been so throughout history. All migrants, regardless of their migration status, are rights holders. Pursuant to the report on migration in the world 2026 published by the International Organization for Migration, it is estimated that there are about 304 million migrants in the world, that is 3.7% of the global population. It has been broadly documented that migrants and migrant diasporas make a positive contribution to sustainable development. both in their countries of origin and that of destination. But despite this, the political discourse around migration continues to be manipulated in order to create a sensation of risk and fear. The most recent resolution on human rights of migrants, 57/14, adopted by consensus in October of two years ago, Focused on the need to promote narratives on migration and migrants, which was focused on human rights, and it said it was important to counter misinformation and to promote evidence based messages. Today, this topic is still of the highest relevance, and this is why our draft will include language from resolution 57/14. On this basis, we will tackle some additional issues, both traditional ones and emerging issues. Relating to the traditional issues, and in order to counter dehumanizing narratives, the draft resolution will remind that migrants make a positive contribution to societies. As regards other issues, amongst other issues, the draft will include language on digital technology and will include elements from the resolution on the protection of migrants from the General Assembly and from the declaration on progress of the review forum on global migration of 2026. We will also consider sources as the most recent reports of human rights of migrants of the Secretary General of OHCHR and the Special Rapporteur. We would urge all delegations and civil society to make a constructive contribution to the informal consultations on our draft resolution. President, as the ambassador of Egypt has already said, both countries, Mexico and Egypt, are aware of the need to contribute to the Council efforts to make sure we have greater rationalization and efficiency. And we did this as carrying out consultations on draft resolution on terrorism and human rights as part of the 63rd session of the council. Both of our countries believe this issue is one of great importance and we want a balanced position in protecting human rights as we combat terrorism. And to conclude, Mexico aligns itself with the statement made by the permanent representative of Guatemala relating to the draft resolution on human rights and indigenous peoples. which we are also co-sponsoring. Thank you.

Thank you. I now give the floor to a distinguished representative of Marshall Islands, followed by the UAE and the Republic of Korea.

Thank you, Mr. President. At the 63rd session, the Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Vanuatu, and the Republic of the Marshall Islands will present for the third time an item 10 resolution entitled Technical Assistance and Capacity Building to Address the Human Rights Implications of the Nuclear Legacy in the Marshall Islands. Addressing the nuclear legacy of the Marshall Islands is a regional priority for the Pacific as reflected in our core group of Pacific Island countries. This resolution hopes to continue OACHR's technical assistance and capacity building to the Marshall Islands to assist in our efforts to overcome the challenges and barriers to the enjoyment of human rights stemming from our nuclear legacy. The foundational HRC's resolution for this work, resolution 51/35, was presented under item 10 at the 53rd session in October 2022. It is a biennial resolution that was stabled at the 57th session to extend the mandate for the very first time. At the 57th session, resolution 57/26 was adopted without a vote. At this 63rd session, we will work constructively towards having the council adopt the resolution again without a vote. The draft resolution is procedural in nature to continue what has already been established. We will approach this as a technical rollover. We will be including additional preambular paragraphs to recognize the developments that have occurred since 2024 relevant to the resolution and the mandate that it aims to advance, as well as its recognition of the need for a one UN approach. The operative paragraph says one addition, a request for the OHCHR reports to also be made available in easy to read accessible formats. There are two informals tentatively scheduled for 8 and 16 September in room Concordia 1 from 10:30 to 12:00 PM and 4:30 PM to 6:30 PM respectively. Mr. President, on the 1st of October, the council will convene in enhanced interactive dialogue tentatively schedule to discuss at this 63rd session the OCHR report A/HRC/63/76 entitled Addressing the Challenges and Barriers to the Full Realization and Enjoyment of the Human Rights of the People of the Marshall Islands Stemming from the State's Nuclear Legacy. We look forward to constructive engagement and the support of member states at this dialogue. Other events will be organized leading up to the EID to raise awareness, including a side event, documentary screening, and a concert. On the 22nd of September, at room S4, from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m., we will have a side event on nuclear justice and transitional justice, co-sponsored by the core group of our resolution, the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat, the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, the Marshallese Education Initiative and the World Council of Churches and Mororua e Tautu. On the 25th of September in the margins of the HRC session we are organizing a concert by Mark Hamani a Marshallese citizen in solemn commemoration of 80 years since the first nuclear weapons test in the Marshall Islands in honor of the victims of nuclear weapons and in the lead up to the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons on the 26th of September. On the 28th of September, again in the margins of the HRC session, we will have a panel discussion and film screening in room 00 PM to 5:00 PM of the documentary film entitled "67 Bombs to Enid," which shares its continued lived experiences and struggles of Marshallese diaspora in Enid, Oklahoma. And this is due to the nuclear weapons testing period. Again, this event is held in acknowledgement of the International Day of the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons. in further solemn commemoration of the 80 years anniversary of the very first nuclear test in the Marshall Islands and in honor of all victims of nuclear weapons. In this regard, we thank members of the -- and observers in advance for your cooperation and look forward to our constructive discussions and your attendance of these events. Finally, our presidential envoy on nuclear justice and human rights, Senator David Anito, is visiting Geneva and would happily organize bilaterals if schedules align to discuss our efforts to address the human rights implication of the nuclear legacy. Mr. President, I thank you.

Thank you. And I'll give the floor to a distinguished representative of the UAE, followed by the Republic of Korea and Algeria.

Thank you, Mr. President.

The United Arab Emirates is pleased to announce a high-level commemorative side event marking the 12th anniversary of the Human Rights Council resolution on the realization of the equal enjoyment of the right to education by every girl, co-hosted.

With the United Kingdom.

Over the last past 12 years, the council has reaffirmed its commitment to girls' rights to education through successive resolutions recognizing the transformative importance of inclusive, equitable, and quality education for every girl. The event will provide an opportunity to reflect on the progress achieved, discuss persistent and emerging challenges, and renew our collective commitment to ensure that no girl is left behind. The event will take place on the 28th of September, 2026, and we warmly welcome the participation of all member states. Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor now to a distinguished representative of the Republic of Korea, followed by Algeria and the DRC.

Thank you, Mr. President. On behalf of the core group of the resolution on new and emerging technologies and human rights, The Republic of Korea plans to deliver a joint statement during the 63rd session, highlighting the growing human rights implications of new and emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, coherence across the Council's work, and the effective use of existing processes and resources. We also encourage broad participation of Member States in the multi-stakeholder inter-sessional meeting on the same subject mandated by resolution 59/11, which is expected to take place between the 63rd and 64th sessions of the Council. In the spirit of ongoing rationalization of the work of the Council, the Republic of Korea, together with a core group of resolution on local government and human rights consisting of Chile, Egypt, and Romania, has agreed to try and analyze this resolution accordingly we plan to present the next iteration of the resolution at the 66 session of the council in September next year we hope that others also continue their efforts for the rationalizing the work of the human rights council thank you.

Thank you colleagues let me just mention at this point that we are halfway through the list of those requesting to share information on the draft resolutions. I'd like to thank colleagues for their patience in waiting for their turn in a system of taking note of speakers in a manual way. Hopefully soon we will have something that is digital, but now it is still manual. So thank you very much for your patience. And now we go to the distinguished representative of Algeria, followed by DRC and Sudan.

Thank you, Mr. President. Let me first of all thank you for your comprehensive briefing and commend you for your able leadership of the Council. The Algerian delegation is pleased to announce that together with the delegations of South Africa, Peru, Mozambique, Vanuatu, and other states, we'll work to present a new iteration of the Human Rights Council resolution 58/22 under the title, the impact of anti-personal mines on the full enjoyment of all human rights, strengthening the victim's assistance. As reflected in this updated title, this year's resolution will place particular emphasis on the victim's assistance following broad consultations with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights as well as with civil society organizations working in this field. We firmly believe that victims assistance provides a practical and unifying way in which this Council can come together to promote the rights and dignity of victims and to place them at the center of our collective efforts against the background of ever-increasing humanitarian needs and at the same time ever-shrinking and limited financial resources. Our aim is therefore to build consensus and to bridge differences among delegations around what we believe is our shared objective, which is to ensure that those affected by anti-personnel mines receive the assistance, the rehabilitation and the support they fully deserve and they fully need to enjoy their human rights. We look forward to engaging constructively with all delegations and stakeholders interested throughout the upcoming negotiation process, and I thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to a distinguished representative of the DRC, followed by Sudan and Ukraine.

Mr. President, I thank you for giving me the floor. My delegation has the honor of informing the Council that we will be submitting a draft resolution under item 10 of the agenda, which is entitled Technical Assistance and Capacity Building in the Field of Human Rights in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This text, which is presented each year at the September session of the Council, seeks to build upon institutional progress in the country in the area of human rights through constructive cooperation between my country's government and the OHCHR and its office in Kinshasa. We therefore invite all Member States and observers, as well as the OHCHR, to continue to provide their invaluable support to our country and to this resolution. Furthermore, the DRC will be organizing a parallel side event on the 29th of September in room five at one o'clock on human rights and the work of children in extractive industries from mines to the classroom, ensuring children's rights through economic empowerment of families. As you know, children's work in extractive industries involves more than a million miners around the world. especially in small-scale and artisanal mines. The goal of organizing such a meeting is to create a debate to find lasting solutions to eradicate children's labor in mines by addressing the root causes. These include extreme poverty, because families need additional income to survive. Second, a lack of infrastructure. A lack of accessible schools pushes young people towards these extractive sites. And third, informal economies because a lack of oversight in these small mines facilitates the illegal hiring of young people. Active support and participation from your delegations in this discussion on children's rights would be very much appreciated. I thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to a distinguished representative of Sudan, followed by Ukraine and Thailand.

Thank you, President. On behalf of the Arab Group, I would like to make the following statement. We have an updated version of the draft report on capacity building in Yemen. This is under item 10 of the agenda. We will be submitting to the Council a copy of the draft resolution. This is at the request of Yemen and to meet its needs in light of the difficult circumstances the country faces. The goal is to bolster national efforts to protect human rights, to promote human rights and to support national human rights institutions in Yemen to achieve their mandates. Our group seeks your support through consultations on the draft resolution. This will build upon our solidarity towards Yemen and the promotion of human rights in the form of technical assistance and capacity building. Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Ukraine, followed by Thailand and the EU.

Mr. President, at the forthcoming session, Ukraine will continue to draw attention to the plight of the victims of the ongoing Russian aggression with particular focus on the issue of enforced disappearances and incommunicado detentions. Within this framework, we plan to conduct a side event scheduled for 16 September and to deliver a joint statement during the ID with a working group of enforced and involuntary disappearances under item three of the HRC agenda. I would also like to draw attention to the side event entitled Protecting the UN Charter Through Accountability, the Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression, to be held on Tuesday, 15 September at 1:00 PM. The event is jointly organized by the Permanent Mission of Ukraine, Council of Europe, the International Bar Association, and the permanent missions of the Netherlands, Monaco and the United Kingdom. It will focus on the role of the Special Tribunal in upholding the prohibition of the use of force and reinforcing the international accountability framework. We look forward to the upcoming interactive dialogues with the Independent International Commission of Inquiry and the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, which will provide the Council with impartial information. With this in mind, we count on the support of Member States for our efforts and warmly invite delegations to participate in our initiatives. In hope for further open and constructive dialogue across the broad agenda of the 63rd session of the Human Rights Council, Ukraine reiterates its commitment to the promotion and protection of all human rights globally. delivering the statement today on 24th of August, the day of independence of Ukraine, let me express a sincere gratitude to all our partners who continue to support Ukraine's initiatives at this difficult times of defending human rights amidst Russian aggression. Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Thailand, followed by the EU and Poland.

Thank you, Mr. President. During the upcoming session, Thailand together with interested partners is pleased to announce the organization of a side event entitled Beyond Jurisdictional Gap, State Responsibility, Technical Cooperation, and International Partnership Against Trafficking in Persons in the Context of Online Scams to be held on the 11th September. The rapid expansion of online scams and related transnational organized crime has become an urgent human rights concern. Trafficked persons are trapped in scam compounds where they face coercion, violence and forced criminality. These operations transcend national borders and driving enabling environments marked by weak rule of law, making effective international cooperation essential. Building upon the International Conference on the Global Partnership Against Online Scams held in Bangkok last year, as well as the discussion on the human rights impact of online scams led by the Republic of Korea during the 61st session, This side event aims to advance dialogue towards concrete approaches to preventing and responding to human trafficking in the context of online scam and related human rights violation, addressing state responsibility and strengthening cross-border cooperation in investigation, prosecution and victim assistance. The concept note and invitation will be circulated for your consideration in due course. We would greatly appreciate engagement from all States and stakeholders and look forward to welcoming you to the side event. Thailand also plans to deliver a joint statement on this important issue during the interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery and trafficking in persons. We would welcome interested delegations to co-sponsor the joint statement. Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of the EU, followed by Poland and Switzerland.

Thank you, Mr. President. From the outset, I wanted to really underline appreciation to you and to the Bureau members for the steps taken to steer the Council's work in these times of continuing funding cuts and rationalization needs. We should all really move towards an efficiency-minded approach, and from our side, you can count on us to play our part in terms of rationalization, and we call all those to play their part on optimizing the use of of the means at the disposal of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. Now moving to the upcoming session, the EU will present the following resolutions. Firstly, a resolution to renew the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on Afghanistan. The situation on the ground, especially regarding women and girls, remains abysmal and warrants our continued and full attention. The Council must call for an immediate end to an accountability for all human rights violations and abuses and abuses in all violations of IHL. Secondly, we will present a resolution renewing the mandate of the special rapporteur on the human rights situation in Burundi, to the situation in the country continues to be marked by volatile security context and continued impunity for human rights violations. It's particularly relevant given that we'll have elections in 2027, so it's important to follow the current cycle. Finally, I would like to announce that the EU will present on behalf of all of its member states a resolution under item four on the situation of human rights in the Russian Federation, renewing the mandate of the special rapporteur. The draft will be based on last year's text from HRC 60 and reflect the latest findings on the continuously deteriorating human rights situation in the country, including in the special rapporteur's report that will be presented to this council on the 21st of September. The EU has the penholder of this and other resolutions that HRC 63 is very much looking forward to engaging constructively with all member states and stakeholders. We also look forward to working closely with all delegations on their initiatives, of course. Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor now to the distinguished representative of Poland, followed by Switzerland and Australia.

Thank you, Mr. President. I have the honor to inform you that at the 63rd session of the Human Rights Council, Poland, on behalf of the core group consisting of Australia, Chile, Republic of Korea, and South Africa, will present a draft of an annual resolution under item three on the role of good governance in the promotion of human rights. Given the importance of good governance in ensuring respect for human rights, we do hope that member states will engage constructively in the consultation process and just as in previous years, the resolution can be adopted without a vote. Moreover, Poland will organize a side, together with the above mentioned countries, will organize a side event on the conclusions on the study of the Human Rights Council Advisory Committee entitled Impact of AI Systems on Good Governance, which will take place on Wednesday, the 23rd of September at 1400 hours in Concordia 5 room. We are looking forward to the active participation of all member states and partners. Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Switzerland, followed by Australia and Afghanistan.

President, I have the pleasure of announcing that on behalf of a group of countries with Morocco, we will present two initiatives. First, one renewing the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on Truth, Justice, Reparation and Guarantees of Non-Repetition. This will mainly be a technical text. And then there will be a new iteration of the resolution of substance on human rights and transitional justice. This will deal with the 2022 resolution, A/HRC/36. This will build on work from the 58th session of the Human Rights Council and will present good practices and lessons in the area of transitional justice in the area of maintenance of peace, especially SDG 16. The draft resolution could be enriched with references relating to documentation, new technologies and addressing trauma in transitional justice. While preliminary consultations are still underway, we can inform you that the negotiations on these two texts will take place starting from Tuesday, the 15th of September. Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Australia, followed by Afghanistan and Chile.

Thank you, Mr. President. I would like to begin by thanking delegations for their constructive rationalization efforts so far this year. We have made good progress, and we encourage everyone to consider the information and tools shared by the co-facilitators when preparing their resolutions. Australia together with Timor-Leste will present the resolution on national human rights institutions at the 63rd session of the Human Rights Council. NHRIs are among the most important actors and independent voices for the promotion and protection of human rights. They bridge the gap between international human rights standards and implementation on the ground, empowering individuals to understand and exercise their human rights and contributing to the work of the Council, and the broader multilateral human rights system. Since being endorsed by the UN General Assembly in 1993, the Paris Principles have provided the international benchmark for the independent, pluralistic and effective NHRIs. Roughly three quarters of the current HRC membership have a national human rights institution, and we continue to see growing interest and progress globally in establishing and accrediting NHRIs. The resolution will continue to support the vital work of the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions through the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to ensure a rigorous, fair, and inclusive accreditation process. At a time of increasing pressure on civic space, strong, independent and adequately resourced NHRIs are more important than ever. This is an important initiative to ensure that NHRIs remain independent, effective and equipped to respond to emerging human rights challenges. In this context, at this session, the resolution will focus on the role of NHRIs in promoting and protecting human rights in the digital space. NHRIs are well placed to monitor, assess and advise on the human rights implications of digital technologies, including artificial intelligence, to help prevent and mitigate harms and to support human rights based approaches. We will also move future iterations of the resolution to a triennial cycle, contributing to the collective effort to rationalize the workload of the council. We invite all delegations to engage constructively in the negotiations process and hope to reach a position that will allow the resolution to once again be adopted by the Council by consensus. I thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor now to the distinguished representative of Afghanistan, followed by Chile and the Council of Europe.

Thank you, Mr. President. The delegation of Afghanistan takes the floor to address the situation of human rights in Afghanistan and inform the Council about its initiatives for the 62nd session of the Council. Given the scale and gravity of the human rights situation in Afghanistan, We respectfully reiterate the importance of keeping Afghanistan as a standing and prominent priority for the Council, which requires continued and sustained attention. Five years of Taliban rule, human rights situation in the country continues to deteriorate. Systematic restriction on the rights of women and girls, the near total closure of civic space and civil limitation on freedom of expression, including artistic and cultural expression, continue without meaningful redress. These are not isolated incidents, but a sustained institutionalized pattern that the Council has repeatedly recognized as amounting to grave violation of Afghanistan's international human rights obligation. In this regard, we wish to underline the importance of the format of the interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan. We believe that an enhanced interactive dialogue would have been preferable as it would not only have allowed for broader engagement by civil society, but also afforded greater time and space to address the ongoing rights violation. Additionally, Alongside our formal engagement, the permanent mission is proud to co-organize Blooming Afghanistan, Art Resist Hope Blooms with the Swiss mission, Win City, a number of other civil society organization, which includes an exhibition at the Palastination opening 7 September with an interactive painting session. and a panel discussion and a concert at Victoria Hall on 8 September, featuring the Special Rapporteur among several panelists. We urge the delegations to participate in these activities. I thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Chile, followed by the Council of Europe and Armenia.

Thank you very much, President.

Of Argentina, Canada, Ecuador, Guatemala, Paraguay, Uruguay, and my own country, Chile, we would like to briefly announce that we will be presenting a resolution at this session of the Council to renew the mandates of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the fact-finding mission regarding the human rights situation in Venezuela. Informal consultations will be informed in due time. We look forward to working collaboratively with all delegations on this initiative. Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to distinguished representative of the Council of Europe, followed by Armenia and Qatar.

Mr. President, on behalf of the Council of Europe, I would like to express our thanks to you, Mr. President, and to the Secretariat for preparations of the upcoming 63rd session of the Human Rights Council. We appreciate the extraordinary efforts to ensure Human Rights Council continued work despite experienced budgetary constraints. It is my honour to briefly present information about the side event that the Council of Europe plans to organise on the margins of the session, as it was already mentioned by the Honourable Permanent Representative of Ukraine. The side event titled Protecting the UN Charter through Accountability: The Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression is a joint effort of the Council of Europe, the International Bar Association, as well as the Permanent Missions of Ukraine, the Netherlands, Monaco and the United Kingdom. It is planned for Tuesday 15 September, 1pm in 3. The event, with the participation of recognized international experts, representatives of international organizations and states, seeks to explore and reiterate the enduring significance of the United Nations Charter's prohibition of the use of force and its relationship with contemporary accountability efforts. focusing on the Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine, the discussion will assess the role of accountability frameworks in upholding the UN Charter. We warmly invite everyone to join us for this important discussions. Invitations and more detailed information about the event will be shared in the coming days. I thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Armenia, followed by Qatar and Argentina.

Thank you president during the 63rd session of the council Armenia will pursue its initiatives for education relating to peace and human rights and the promotion protection of the rights of women and girls in the context of digital Technologies in partnership with the University of Peace created under the United Nations Armenia will organize on the 30th of September a side event devoted to education and peace this is in continuation of a recent resolution adopted by the General Assembly at Armenia's initiative. This will be an opportunity to consider ways and means to implement the resolution and to have exchanges on the role that can be played by education and peace in the promotion of peaceful, inclusive and resilient societies. It will also allow us to consider how to strengthen links between the work of the General Assembly and the Human Rights Council in this area. We cordially invite all delegations and interested stakeholders to take part in these discussions. Following on from its commitment to the rights of women and girls in the context of digital technologies, Armenia will also present during this session a draft resolution devoted to this issue. This initiative seeks to bolster international cooperation and coordination between the involved actors and mechanisms to better combat existing and emerging forms of discrimination, as well as address other challenges in terms of human rights that women and girls face in the digital environment. It also seeks to promote full, effective, and meaningful participation in discussions and decision-making processes relating to the design, deployment, and development, and governance of digital technologies. We look forward to working constructively with all delegations and all interested stakeholders on these initiatives. Thank you, President.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Qatar, followed by Argentina and Spain.

Mr. President, in cooperation with the Global Alliance to Protect Education from Attacks, we will organize an event to commemorate.

This event on the 9th of September, 2026. We will also hold an event in room 16 from 12:00 to 1:00 PM. And then we will hold a parade to shed light on attacks on educational institutions.

Thank you, Mr. President.

Thank you. I give the floor to a distinguished representative of our Argentina, followed by Spain and France.

A very good afternoon, President. It's an honor for me to inform you that a core group led by Argentina during this session will present a technical update of the resolution on combating cyber harassment, which was adopted in October 2024. Our aim is to provide continuity to the important work carried out by the council in this sphere, restating the commitment to preventing and combating cyber harassment from a human rights perspective and providing follow-up to the mandates established as a result of this resolution. The core group wants to have a negotiation process that is transparent and inclusive, and we hope to be able to count with the participation and the constructive input of all delegations so we can reach a consensual result. Together with Member States and NGOs, we are organising a side event on the Day of Older Persons, which will be held in room five on a day in October. The intergovernmental working group on the development of binding instruments for the human rights of older persons will be reporting to the session as part of item three. And I would like to say on procedural matters, I would like to thank you for the update on the list of speakers and I must express my astonishment as to the speaking time and the procedures for that. But as was said previously, the last shall be the first in some contexts. Thank you.

Thank you and duly noted. Next on my list is the distinguished representative of Spain followed by France and Azerbaijan.

Thank you very much, President, and my thanks also to those delegations that have shared with other Members their initiatives. It's an honour for me to say that, once again, Germany and Spain will be submitting a draft resolution on water and sanitation. We want to make sure that by 2030 we have access to safe drinking water and to sanitation for all persons, and this should be a priority for the whole of the UN system. As part of this initiative, we want to keep to that ambition and make progress towards ensuring that this ambition is mainstreamed throughout the UN activities, looking forward to the conference to be held in 2026 to 2028. We very much hope that we will enjoy the constructive participation of everyone on the negotiations for this resolution, which will be announced in due course. And as the sponsoring group, we will continue to support initiatives led by OHCHR on drinking water and sanitation throughout this session. Thank you.

Thank you. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of France, followed by Azerbaijan and Morocco.

Thank you, President. My first thanks are to the permanent representative of Argentina for informing us why we were the last. During the 63rd session of the Human Rights Council, France, as part of a group consisting of Japan and others, will be submitting a renewal of the mandate on the disappeared. This is to protect families who are waiting for the reappearance of a person. The work of this group is essential in order to document the number of cases of the disappeared and more than 60,000 cases have been notified with a thousand being considered every year by the five experts of the group. As recent reports testify, enforced disappearances remain a phenomenon having an impact on the victims, on their relatives and on society as a whole. This resolution, as is customary, will be the subject of open consultations and we hope that once again it can be adopted by consensus. Thank you.

Thank you. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Azerbaijan, followed by Morocco.

Thank you, Mr. President.

It is evident that there is a need to increase the international community's focus.

On and support for the victims.

Of landmines and other explosive remnants of war and to promote and realize a victim-centered perspective.

In this regard, the Permanent Mission of Azerbaijan will organize a side event on the margins of the 63rd session of the Council, Friday, 18 September, entitled "Sharing the best practice in international cooperation to provide assistance for the care and rehabilitation and social and economic reintegration of mine victims and for mine awareness programs." The event will bring together representatives of diplomatic missions, civil society and the relevant parts of the United Nations to consider how the Council can further strengthen its focus.

On the needs and rights of victims, vulnerable groups and affected communities.

We encourage all delegations and relevant stakeholders to participate in this important discussion and contribute to the.

Strengthening of the Council's victim-centred approach to the human rights consequences of landmines and other explosive remnants of war.

I thank you.

Thank you. And now I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Morocco.

President, my delegation welcomes the efforts made by the Secretariat to guarantee the efficacy and efficiency of the work of the Council, given current challenges. We are committed to human rights and contribute to the work of this Council. And so on the 24th of September at 2:00 p.m., we will organize a side event to to examine the assessment of the workshop held on 5 and 6 June in Morocco. It was a retreat that saw the participation of many member states, UN agencies, civil society and independent experts in a bid to see how we can strengthen the work of the forthcoming UPR cycle. The side event organised by Morocco will add to this work and will offer an opportunity to have an exchange on the outcomes of this retreat. Thank you.

Thank you, and we look forward to that discussion. I've exhausted speakers on my list. Am I missing anybody? requesting the floor? I see none. I thank all delegations for sharing information on their initiatives and once again to thank them for their patience as they wait for their turn to present and share information on their initiatives. Main sponsors of resolutions and sponsors of resolutions are encouraged to consider the multi-year programme of work and the HRC mapper tool when proposing new initiatives. The three-year programme of work for 2026-2028 is on the HRC portal for everyone to consult. I also urge delegations to consider sharing information early in the process in order to enhance transparency and predictability in the Council. Let me underline that in line with resolution 5/1, delegations are invited to conduct open-ended informal consultations with at least one held for each draft resolution or decision before action is taken by the Council. The consultation should be scheduled in a manner that considers the constraints faced by delegations, particularly smaller ones. This will help all of us to keep a constructive atmosphere based on transparency, dialogue and cooperation. Excellencies, distinguished representatives, turning to documentations and statements, let me briefly mention some important technical information. Regarding the documents for the session, 36 of the 86 reports prepared for this session are available in all official UN languages and posted on the Council's website. The rest will be uploaded in the coming weeks. All participants are kindly requested to upload the electronic version of oral statements through the online system or send them by the relevant e-mail addresses. All oral statements should be electronically submitted to interpreters at least one hour before their delivery. This is important for the quality of interpretation. Excellencies, distinguished representatives, before we conclude, let me recall that two online events will take place tomorrow morning, starting at 11 a.m. The first is the presentation of the HRC portal. the upgraded HRC extranet. The co-facilitators on the use of modern technologies in the work of the Human Rights Council will provide an update on their work followed by a presentation and technical briefing by the Secretariat. The second immediately afterwards and at the same link is an informal briefing for the benefit of new delegates on the Council's rules of procedures, practices and working methods covering, among other issues, the programme of work, speaking modalities and resolutions and decisions. Both briefings will be held in English only. I encourage all delegations to take part in both. Please refer to the note verbale sent by the Secretariat on August 17 for technical details of participation. We are coming to the end of this meeting. I would like to open the floor now for any comments or information on the issues discussed throughout the afternoon. I recognize the distinguished representative of Rwanda. You have the floor, sir.

Thank you, Mr. President. My delegation thanks the Bureau, through you, Mr. President, for the comprehensive briefing. Regarding draft resolutions and initiatives introduced before the Council, My delegation wishes to recall that they should be firmly grounded in human rights considerations, contribute constructively to the fulfilment of the Council's mandate, and be considered objective, transparent and in a spirit of constructive cooperation. Particular care should be taken to preserve the Council and its mechanism from politicisation or the pursuit of objectives unrelated to the mandates under which initiatives are presented. In this regard, my delegation recalls the distinct purpose of agenda item 10, which is to advance technical assistance and capacity building. Engagement under this item should therefore remain needs-based, cooperative and responsive to the priorities of the countries concerned, with a clear focus on strengthening national capacities and achieving tangible human rights outcomes. Maintaining the integrity of the Council's agenda requires that initiatives be considered under the agenda items corresponding to their substantive purpose. Technical assistance and capacity building mechanisms should not become channels for addressing matters that fall outside their intended scope or for reproducing political disputes that can undermine constructive engagement. Informal consultations on draft resolutions should not be treated as mere procedural formality or convenience. They should serve to facilitate meaningful and substantive engagement among member states. Such consultations should provide Member States with a genuine opportunity to raise concerns, contribute to the meaningful-- such consultations should provide Member States with a genuine opportunity to raise concerns, contribute today substantive proposed texts, and seek greater convergence before initiatives are presented for action. Meaningful consultations strengthen both the legitimacy and effectiveness of the Council's decisions. Rwanda remains committed to working with all delegations to strengthen the Council's ability to deliver on its mandate in an impartial, objective and non-politicized manner, guided by its established mandates, agreed procedures rather than practices whose basis or origin is unclear. I thank you, Mr. President.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Uruguay.

Mr. President, we wanted to refer to the information presented by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights on the impact of the current financial crisis and the liquidity crisis, and the impact on the mandates from this Council. We view with real concern the consequences of all of this on the human rights pillar, which for some years now has been asked to do a lot more with increasingly limited resources from the regular budget. All this has a direct impact on the ability to fulfil mandates and provide basic services, advisory services and providing support to the mechanisms of this Council. It really affect the treaty bodies, the bureaus of the offices and the states' own capacities, especially those states that have limited resources. There has to be an ability to directly relate to these mechanisms. We believe that the reform and efficiency processes should strengthen the system and not lead to a cut in its substantive capacities. As part of the group of friends of special procedures, Uruguay emphasises that those mechanisms must have sufficient resources and the conditions in place to ensure that they can fulfil the mandates entrusted to them by the council. We must ensure that we preserve the independence, visibility, accessibility and operational capacity of those mechanisms. The current financial restrictions should not undermine their ability to comply effectively with the mandates set up by the council. Council. They should not limit their relations with states and other relevant stakeholders. This is why we must ensure that the conditions are in place and that there are sufficient resources for their operations. Uruguay therefore launches an appeal to redouble cooperation in protecting the UN system and to ensure that the necessary resources are available so that the mandates entrusted by the Human Rights Council can be fulfilled.

I thank the distinguished representative of Uruguay and the meeting takes note of it. Any further requests for the floor? I see none. Excellencies, distinguished representatives, thank you very much for your cooperation today and for the information that you have shared. I look forward to seeing you in this room for the opening of the 63rd session on Monday, 7 September, at 10 a.m., two weeks from now. And I hereby close the organizational meeting of the 63rd regular session of the Human Rights Council. Thank you very much.