Australia is a stable, democratic and culturally diverse nation with a highly skilled workforce and one of the strongest performing economies in the world.
Australia welcomes the appointment of the new Special Rapporteur, and thanks him for his report. Australia welcomes Cambodia's ongoing engagement with the Special Rapporteur.
I have the honour to deliver this joint statement on behalf of the 27 EU Member States, Australia, Canada, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United States of America.
The Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action states that all human rights and fundamental freedoms are a legitimate concern of the international community and must be considered as a priority of the United Nations. The universal nature of these rights and freedoms is beyond question.
Australia welcomes this interactive dialogue to maintain the international community’s focus on the breadth and gravity of human rights violations and abuses that have been, and continue to be, perpetrated in Myanmar.
Australia condemns in the strongest terms racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerances, particularly where this incites further hate, violence, discrimination and exclusion.
Australia thanks the Special Rapporteur for his report on indigenous peoples and COVID-19 recovery. We note in particular the report talks about the exponential risk of indigenous peoples being overlooked, both in pandemic mitigation efforts and in post-COVID-19 recovery measures. Indigenous women, children, persons with disabilities and older persons are especially at risk.
Australia commends the Expert Mechanism for its studies on self—determination and children. We are pleased to share information about relevant initiatives in Australia.
We are deeply concerned by ongoing violations of human rights in Syria, and the continued suffering of the Syrian people after more than a decade of conflict.
