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7/6. Mandate of the independent expert on minority issues

8. Under the terms of paragraphs 3, 3 (g), and 5 of its resolution 7/6, the Council:

(a) Decided to extend the mandate of the independent expert on minority issues for a period of three years;

(b) Requested the independent expert to submit annual reports on his/her activities to the Council, including recommendations for effective strategies for the better implementation of the rights of persons belonging to minorities;

(c) Requested the Secretary-General and the High Commissioner for Human Rights to provide all the necessary human, technical and financial assistance for the effective fulfilment of the mandate of the independent expert.

9. Pursuant to the adoption of the resolution by the Council, a total amount of $58,800 per annum or $117,600 per biennium will be required to implement the activities, arising from the terms of the resolution as follows:

(a) Travel of the independent expert for three trips to Geneva per year (each for five days) for consultations/to attend the annual meeting of special procedures and to present a report to the Council and for two field missions per year of an estimated duration of 10 days each ($42,800 per annum);

(b) Travel of staff to accompany the independent expert during field missions ($8,800 per annum);

(c) Local transportation, security, communication and other miscellaneous expenses during field missions ($7,200 per annum).

10. The requirements to implement the activities for the mandate of the independent expert have been included under section 23, Human Rights, of the programme budget for the biennium 2008-2009. Since the period for renewal of the mandate extends into the biennium 2010-2011, the requirements for that period will be considered in the context of the preparation of the proposed programme budget for the biennium 2010-2011. No additional appropriations will be required as a result of the adoption of the resolution.

11. With regard to paragraph 5, attention is drawn to the provisions of section VI of General Assembly resolution 45/248 B, and subsequent resolutions, the most recent of which is resolution 62/236, in which the Assembly reaffirmed that the Fifth Committee was the

appropriate Main Committee of the Assembly entrusted with responsibilities for administrative and budgetary matters and reaffirmed the role of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions.