The morning session continued with consideration of Item 8, follow-up to and implementation of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action (the Vienna Declaration). The unfolding events in Myanmar dominated this debate. Consideration of Item 10, technical assistance and capacity building, followed, with a number of States pressing that country consent was essential to the establishment of country-specific human rights mechanisms and the provision of technical assistance and advisory services.

The morning session closed with comments from a handful of States and from the President on the process for the review, rationalisation and improvement of mandates. This issue was also taken up during the afternoon session and the President announced that agreement had finally been reached on a simple set of guidelines.

In the afternoon the Council adopted decisions on: the general guidelines for the preparation of information under the universal periodic review (UPR); the technical and objective requirements for eligible candidates for the special procedures; the technical and objective requirements for submission of candidatures to the Advisory Committee; the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the right to food; human rights and international solidarity; and protection of cultural rights and property in situations of armed conflict.

Published in: Council Monitor Daily Update, International Service for Human Rights, 27 September 2007.