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Report of the task force on the implementation of the right to development, fourth session
(English - Spanish - Russian)

The high-level task force on the implementation of the right to development was set up in pursuance of the Commission on Human Rights resolution 2004/7, within the framework of the Working Group on the Right to Development.

The objective of the task force is to provide the necessary expertise to the Working Group to enable it to make appropriate recommendations to the various actors on the issues identified for the implementation of the right to development. The task force comprises five experts nominated by the Chairperson of the Working Group on the Right to Development in consultation with the regional groups of member-States, and representatives from the identified international trade, finance and development institutions.

The first high-level task force session took place in Geneva from 13 to 17 December 2004, reflected in the report of the first task force session.

The second task force session considered for its analysis and recommendations to the Working Group the following issue:

• Millennium Development Goal 8, global partnership for development, and suggest criteria for its periodic evaluation with the aim of improving the effectiveness of global partnerships with regard to the realization of the right to development.

Its report, containing conclusions and recommendations, ( E/CN.4/2005/WG.18/TF/3 ) were presented to the seventh session of the Working Group. On the basis of these recommendations, the Working Group adopted - by consensus - a set of criteria for periodic evaluation of global partnerships as identified in MDG 8 from the perspective of the right to development, and recommended that these criteria be applied on a pilot-basis to selected partnerships, with a view to operationalizing and progressively developing these criteria, and thus contributing to mainstreaming the right to development in the policies and operational activities of relevant actors at the national, regional and international levels, including multilateral financial, trade and development institutions. (Report of the 7th session of the Working Group: E/CN.4/2006/26).

At its first session in June 2006, the Human Rights Council, the successor of the Commission, renewed the mandate of the task force for a third time in its resolution 1/4.

The third task force session in January 2007 considered progress made towards application of the criteria to selected partnerships. The task force aimed at pilot-testing the criteria adopted by the Working Group on selected partnerships namely: the African Peer Review Mechanism, the ECA/OECD-DAC Mutual Review of Development Effectiveness in the context of NEPAD, and the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness. Its report, containing conclusions and recommendations, (A/HRC/4/WG.2/TF/2) were presented to the eighth session of the Working Group.

In its eighth session, the Working Group recommended a roadmap and work plan consisting of three phases of implementation, covering the period from 2007 to 2009. (Report of the 8 th session of the Working Group: A/HRC/4/47). The Human Rights Council endorsed the recommendations and renewed the mandate of the task force for another two years in its resolution 4/4.

In implementation of the Working Group recommendations, with the support of OHCHR, the task force has conducted technical missions to promote dialogue with institutions involved in the partnerships. Studies were also commissioned on the various partnerships to bolster and support the work of the task force such that concrete recommendations and conclusions can be adopted at the next session.

The fourth task force session to be held from 7-15 January 2008 in Geneva will consider continued progress made towards application of the criteria to selected partnerships. The session will focus on the various missions conducted by the task force in implementation of the recommendations of the Working Group in its eighth session, to assess selected partnerships, namely following up on the African Peer Review Mechanism, the ECA/OECD-DAC Mutual Review of Development Effectiveness, the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness and as a new partnership for assessment, the Cotonou Partnership Agreement between EU and ACP countries. Apart from the missions, the session will also discuss potential additional partnerships for assessment and the progressive development and refinement of the criteria.

For accreditation for the meeting, please fill in the attached form and return to Ms. Sumiko Ihara ( sihara@ohchr.org ), tel: +41 22 928 9829, fax: +41 22 928 9010

List of documents :

• Provisional agenda [A - C - F - S - R]
• Draft Programme of work
• Consultant report - Application of the criteria for periodic evaluation of global development partnerships, as defined in Millennium Development Goal 8, from the right-to-development perspective: further analysis of the African Peer Review Mechanism and the ECA/OECD-DAC Mutual Review of Development Effectiveness in the context of NEPAD - prepared by Ms. Bronwen Manby (revised)
• Consultant report - Application of the criteria for periodic evaluation of global development partnerships – as defined in Millennium Development Goal 8 – from the right to development perspective: the Cotonou Partnership Agreement between the European Union and ACP Countries - prepared by Prof. James Thuo Gathii
• Consultant report - Application of the criteria for periodic evaluation of global development partnerships – as defined in Millennium Development Goal 8 – from the right to development perspective: the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness - prepared by Mr. Roberto Bissio
• Mission reports – 1-4:

1. Technical mission - Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness
2. Technical mission - ECA/OECD-DAC Mutual Review of Development Effectiveness
3. Technical mission- African Peer Review Mechanism
4. Technical mission - Cotonou Partnership Agreement between European Union (EU) and African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP)

• Short biographies of the task force members