NEW SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR ON CONTEMPORARY FORMS OF RACISM TAKES UP HIS FUNCTIONS

The new Special Rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, Doudou Diene, has taken up his functions.
Mr. Diene, a former Senegalese diplomat, was appointed as Special Rapporteur by the Commission's resolution 2002/68 of 25 April 2002. The Economic and Social Council confirmed his appointment this summer during its annual session in New York. He took up his functions on 12 September 2002.
The new Special Rapporteur has served, among other posts, as Deputy Representative of Senegal to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), and then as the Director of the Division of Inter-cultural Projects of UNESCO. He has published many works of a historical nature on problems related to inter-cultural and inter-religious dialogue.
Mr. Diene's mandate is to examine all incidents which are the manifestation of contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance. He also looks into measures taken by Governments to overcome such manifestations. He reports to the Commission on Human Rights and the General Assembly annually.
Mr. Diene replaces Professor Maurice Glele-Ahanhanzo, a member of the Constitutional Court and President of the Supreme Court of Benin, who was the Special Rapporteur from 1994 to 2002.
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