United nations a

Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression

55. At the 25th meeting, on 14 March 2008, the representative of Canada, as the main sponsor of the resolution related to the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the right to freedom of opinion and expression, made a statement.

56. At the same meeting, the Special Rapporteur on the right to freedom of opinion and expression, Mr. Ambeyi Ligabo, made a statement.

57. During the ensuing discussion, at the 26th meeting, on 14 March 2008, the following made statements:

(a) Representatives of States members of the Council: Cuba, Egypt, India, Malaysia, Netherlands, Pakistan (on behalf of the Organization of the Islamic Conference), Republic of Korea, Russian Federation, Slovenia (on behalf of the European Union), Switzerland;

(b) Observers for the following States: Algeria, Argentina, Norway, United States of America;

(c) Observer for a national human rights institution: European Group of National Human Rights Institutions;

(d) Observers for non-governmental organizations: Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies, Human Rights Advocates Inc., Reporters Without Borders.

58. At the same meeting, the Special Rapporteur made his final remarks.

59. At the same meeting, the representative of Canada made a concluding statement.

Independent expert on the effects of economic reform policies and foreign debt on the full enjoyment of human rights, particularly economic, social and cultural rights

60. At the 26th meeting, on 14 March 2008, the representative of Cuba, as the main sponsor of the resolution related to the mandate of the independent expert on the effects of economic reform policies and foreign debt on the full enjoyment of human rights, particularly economic, social and cultural rights, made a statement.

61. At the same meeting, the independent expert on the effects of economic reform policies and foreign debt on the full enjoyment of human rights, particularly economic, social and cultural rights, Bernards Andrew Nyamwaya Mudho, made a statement.

62. During the ensuing discussion at the same meeting, the following made statements:

(a) Representatives of States members of the Council: Bangladesh, Slovenia (on behalf of the European Union);

(b) Observer for the following State: Burkina Faso;

(c) Observer for a non-governmental organization: Centrist Democrat International.

63. At the same meeting, the independent expert made his final remarks.

64. At the same meeting, the representative of Cuba made a concluding statement.

Special Representative of the Secretary-General on the situation of human rights
defenders

65. At the 26th meeting, on 14 March 2008, the representative of Norway, as the main sponsor of the resolution related to the mandate of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on the situation of human rights defenders, made a statement.

66. At the same meeting, the Chairperson of the Coordinating Committee on the Special Procedures mandate-holders, Gay McDougall, made a statement on behalf of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on the situation of human rights defenders, Hina Jilani.

67. During the ensuing discussion at the same meeting, the following made statements:

(a) Representatives of States members of the Council: Brazil, Canada, Netherlands, Pakistan (on behalf of the Organization of the Islamic Conference), Russian Federation, Slovenia (on behalf of the European Union, Albania, Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Georgia, Iceland, Moldova, Montenegro, Serbia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Turkey and Ukraine), Switzerland;

(b) Observer for the following State: United States of America;

(c) Observer for national human rights institutions: International Coordinating Committee of National Human Rights Institutions (on behalf of the National Human Rights Commission of Rwanda, Senegalese Committee for Human Rights and Uganda Human Rights Commission);

(d) Observers for non-governmental organizations: Front Line, the International Foundation for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders (also on behalf of the International Federation of Human Rights Leagues and the World Organization against Torture), Human Rights First (also on behalf of Amnesty International, the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (Forum-Asia), Front Line, the International Foundation for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, the International Service of Human Rights and the World Organization against Torture), International Service for Human Rights and
Nord-Sud XXI.

68. At the same meeting, the representative of Norway made a concluding statement.