Geneva, 16 June 2015, 8.00 am

Excellencies,
Distinguished Colleagues,
Ladies and gentlemen,

I am honored to be invited here today to address you on this important topic. I would like to warmly thank the OHCHR for organizing this breakfast and for bringing us together, beneficiaries and former and current donors of the Voluntary Trust Fund to support the participation of LDCs and SIDS in the work of the Council.

I recognize how difficult it is for your delegations, especially without a Permanent Mission in Geneva, to participate in the work of the Council. This challenge has been recognized by many, as reflected in our Council’s landmark resolution 19/26, establishing the Voluntary Trust Fund. Here I would like to thank some of the main sponsors of this resolution who are with us today: the Netherlands, Turkey, Burkina Faso, Switzerland and Djibouti.

However, ensuring and upholding universal participation to the Council and its mechanisms, especially to the UPR process, is of outmost importance. In this regard, I am well aware of the challenges you face and the miles some of your delegations have to cross in order to attend meetings in Geneva, which is why it is the Council’s responsibility to help offer a level playing field for all states to engage fully and equally.

This year, so far, we have had delegations coming from Guinea, Lao, Lesotho, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Liberia, Malawi, Maldives, Marshall Islands and Jamaica. We also had the honour of listening to the Prime Minister of Tuvalu, H.E. Mr. Enele Sosene Sopoaga, as well as the President of Kiribati, H.E. Mr. Anote Tong. Both addressed the Human Rights Council at our March session and provided us with a powerful first-hand account from the frontlines of the climate change battle.  

• Turning to SIDS/LDCs present

I cannot stress enough the importance of helping you to attend and engage with the Human Rights Council and its mechanisms. By coming to Geneva and participating in Council sessions, you (SIDS and LDCs) have the opportunity to bring your experiences and unique challenges into our ongoing discussions on human rights and voice your concerns. You can also benefit from exchanging best practices with other Member States, engage with Special Procedures and ‘bring human rights back home’. Seizing available training, e-learning and capacity-building opportunities can also be valuable for further enhancing your institutional and human capacity. As President of the Human Rights Council, I myself contributed to developing a training video to help National Human Rights Institutions better engage with our Council and its mechanisms.

Increased participation of SIDS and LDCs in intergovernmental discussions can also bring important value to other member States of the Council. Sharing a common vulnerability to external shocks, SIDS and LDCs often disproportionally bear the burden of global crises in climate, food and finance. Their responses and efforts at building resilience may provide valuable lessons for other countries and regions.

Therefore, as President of the Human Rights Council, I strongly highlight the importance and potential of this important Fund for strengthening the universality of the Human Rights Council. We, (and I speak here also as PR of Germany), donor States, must strive to enhance its visibility and help further strengthen the Fund through donations to enable the best possible interaction of SIDs and LDCs with our Council and its mechanisms.

In closing, I would be very interested to hear from your experiences with regard to requests made and trainings or other activities held, as beneficiaries of the Fund.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I wish you all the best for an engaging and lively discussion.  
I thank you all for your attention.