Colleagues
News has just been received from Mr John Henriksen and Ms Tracey Castro Whare that the President of the UN General Assembly has appointed the Ambassador of Mexico and Mr John Henriksen to conduct consultations for the World Conference on Indigenous Peoples, on his behalf.
This represents a major achievement in the preparations for the World Conference, by affirming the nominated representative of the Indigenous Peoples, Mr John Henriksen, as a co-cordinator along with a Member State representative. Usually the facilitator is a representative of the Member States alone, but respect has been shown here for a representative of Indigenous Peoples to also be appointed to co-facilitate in the preparations for the World Conference.
Mr Henriksen is from the Sami Peoples of Norway and is based in New York. Mr Henriksen is very well experienced in working within the United Nations and diplomatic circles. He was appointed as our representative at the global preparatory meeting of Indigenous Peoples held in Copenhagen in January 2012.
Mention should also be made of the Mexican Ambassador, H. E. Luis Alfonso de Alba. Ambassador de Alba chaired the historic first session of the UN Human Rights Council in 2006. It was during that first session, on 29 June 2006, that the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples was first formally adopted. Ambassador de Alba also featured prominently in the next stage to have the Declaration adopted by the UN General Assembly in 2007. Of late, he has been responsible for the coordination on the Climate Change negotiations and meetings. He is a strong supporter of the rights of Indigenous Peoples.
The text of the letter of appointment from the President of the General Assembly appears below.
regards
les
---
The President
of the
General Assembly
5 April 2012
All Permanent Representatives and
Permanent Observers to the United Nations
New York
Excellency,
On 21 December 2010, the General Assembly adopted resolution 65/198 entitled "Indigenous Issues". Through this resolution, the General Assembly decided to convene a high-level plenary meeting of the General Assembly in 2014, to be known as the World Conference on Indigenous Peoples.
In accordance with paragraph 8 of the resolution the main objective of the World Conference on Indigenous Peoples is to share perspectives and best practices on the realization of the rights of indigenous peoples and to pursue the objectives of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
As you are aware, the adoption of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, in 2007, is considered a milestone in the recognition of the rights of indigenous peoples. The Declaration is the result of an open and inclusive process of dialogue and negotiations among and between Member States and Indigenous Peoples. The World Conference provides an opportunity for the United Nations to continue this established practice.
The United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues and the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples have highlighted that the preparatory process for the World Conference should be conducted in partnership between Member States and indigenous peoples. I am aware that the indigenous peoples, through regional and global processes, have established a global coordinating group for the World Conference comprising members from each of the seven indigenous regions, with the addition of an indigenous women [sic] and youth as members. Furthermore, they have designated Mr. John Henriksen to represent the coordinating group in New York.
The General Assembly requested me to conduct open-ended consultations with Member States and with representatives of indigenous peoples, in order to determine the modalities for the meeting, including the participation of indigenous peoples in the Conference.
I have the honor to inform you that I have decided to request H. E. Luis Alfonso de Alba, Permanent Representative of Mexico and Mr. John Henriksen to conduct inclusive informal consultations on my behalf.
I trust that you will extend your full cooperation and support to them.
Please accept, Excellency, the assurances of my highest consideration.
[signed]
Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser