Luanda - Angola is to participate in the 55th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC) to take place on February 26 in Geneva, Switzerland, a statement from the country’s diplomatic representation has said, Angop has learnt.
Angola has a wide-ranging agenda to be marked by interactive dialogues with the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, with highlights to the report on the occupied Palestinian territories and the obligation to ensure accountability and justice in situations of this kind.
During the event, which is scheduled to end on 5 April, other issues such as the elimination of racial discrimination, the rights of people with disabilities, violence against children and armed conflicts and albinism will also be addressed.
High-level dialogue sessions will also take place throughout the 55th session, where participants will have the opportunity to share their national position on human rights issues.
The Angolan delegation to the event is led by the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Esmeralda Mendonça, assisted by the Secretary of State for Human Rights and Citizenship, Ana Celeste Januário, as well as Ambassador Margarida Izata, Permanent Representative of the Angolan Mission to the United Nations and other International Organizations in Geneva.
The opening session of the HRC will be given by the new President of this body, Morocco ambassador Omar Zniber, who was elected in January for a one-year term.
UN Secretary General António Guterres, UN General Assembly President Dennis Francis and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk will address at the opening session by videoconference.
According to the agenda for this 55th session of the HRC, on February 29, the Council will hold an interactive dialogue on the High Commissioner's report on the occupied Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem, and the obligation to ensure accountability and justice, at a time when the humanitarian situation on the ground is taking on unprecedented proportions.
On March 26,there will be an "interactive dialogue" with the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967, the Italian Francesca Albanese.
In March there will include a presentation of the reports of the High Commissioner and of the Secretary-General on the human rights situation in Palestine and other occupied Arab territories and the general debate on this agenda item.
The Human Rights Council is an intergovernmental body of the United Nations system made up of 47 States elected by a majority of the 193 States of the United Nations General Assembly, which is responsible for strengthening the promotion and monitoring the protection of human rights throughout the world.
The Council was created by the UN General Assembly on 15 March 2006 with the main aim of addressing situations of human rights violations and making recommendations in this regard. Each member state has a mandate of three years, renewable only once. SC/DAN/AMP
