UN expert on right to development to visit Cabo Verde

French

GENEVA (9 November 2018) – A UN expert will visit Cabo Verde from 12 to 21 November to assess integration of the right to development in domestic policies.

“I am looking forward to meeting Government representatives and other stakeholders who are working towards implementing sustainable development goals and promoting the realisation of the right to development in Cabo Verde,” said Saad Alfarargi, the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to development. “I hope to assess the advancement of the right to development in the country and to identify remaining challenges with a view to formulating recommendations.”

The Special Rapporteur, making his first country visit since the establishment of the mandate by the UN Human Rights Council in 2016, also will examine how the government promotes and guarantees effective popular participation and accountability in the development process.

‘The right to development is focused on inclusiveness, promotion of equality and equitable sharing of the benefits of economic growth and development,” Alfarargi said. “The right to development also requires that development initiatives are sustainable and integrate environmental and climate-related concerns.”

The independent expert said he aimed to help the Government strengthen its legislation, policies and practices in accordance with the 1986 Declaration on the Right to Development.

The Special Rapporteur will meet with public officials, international development players, representatives of civil society, and academics on Santiago and Sao Vicente island.

The Special Rapporteur will present his preliminary findings during a press conference on 21 November 2018 at 15:00 at the UN Building, Conference Room, 2th floor, Meio de Achada Santo Antonio, Praia, Cabo Verde.

Alfarargi will submit a report on his visit to the September 2019 session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.

ENDS

Mr. Saad Alfarargi (Egypt) was designated as the first Special Rapporteur on the right to development by the Human Rights Council in 2017. Mr. Alfarargi served as Ambassador and  Permanent Observer of League of Arab States to the United Nations and International Organizations in Geneva (1998-2012), Regional  Director for Arab States, Assistant Administrator, UNDP, New York(1995-1997), Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs of Egypt, Chief of the President Office for Economic Affairs, Cairo(1992-1995), Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Egypt to the United Nations and International Organizations in Geneva. He holds BSc.and MSc. in Political Science from Cairo University, and post graduate studies in International Relations at the London School of Economics.

Special Rapporteurs are part of what is known as the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council. Special Procedures, the largest body of independent experts in the UN Human Rights system, is the general name of the Council’s independent fact-finding and monitoring mechanisms. Special Procedures mandate-holders are independent human rights experts appointed by the Human Rights Council to address either specific country situations or thematic issues in all parts of the world. They are not UN staff and are independent from any government or organization. They serve in their individual capacity and do not receive a salary for their work.

Check the UN Declaration on the right to development

UN Human Rights, country page – Cabo Verde

For further information please contact Ms. Antoanela Pavlova (+41 22 917 93 31 / apavlova@ohchr.org) or write to srdevelopment@ohchr.org

For media inquiries during the visit, please contact Anita Pinto (anita.pinto@one.un.org/ +238 260 96 13)

For media inquiries related to other UN independent experts please contact Mr. Jeremy Laurence, UN Human Rights – Media Unit (+41 22 917 9383 / jlaurence@ohchr.org)

This year is the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted by the UN on 10 December 1948. The Universal Declaration – translated into a world record 500 languages – is rooted in the principle that “all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.” It remains relevant to everyone, every day. In honour of the 70th anniversary of this extraordinarily influential document, and to prevent its vital principles from being eroded, we are urging people everywhere to Stand Up for Human Rights: www.standup4humanrights.org.