COMMITTEE ON THE ELIMINATIONOF RACIAL DISCRIMINATIONSeventy-fourth session16 February to 6 March 2009

CONSIDERATION OF REPORTS SUBMITTED BY STATES PARTIES

UNDER ARTICLE 9 OF THE CONVENTION

Concluding observations of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination

GAMBIA

At its 1922nd meeting (CERD/C/SR.1922), held on 27 February 2009, the Committee considered the situation in the Gambia with respect to the implementation of the Convention. In the absence of the State party’s overdue second to fourteenth periodic reports, it adopted, at its 1930th meeting (CERD/C/SR.1930) on 5 March, the following observations.

The Committee notes with regret that no report has been submitted by the Gambia since 1980 despite repeated reminders. On 5 March 2008, during its seventy-second session, the Committee transmitted to the State party a list of issues to be responded to by 30 September 2008. The Committee notes with regret that the State party responded neither to the list of issues nor to its invitation to participate in the consideration of the situation in the Gambia in relation to the implementation of the Convention.

The Committee reiterates that reporting is an obligation of State parties under article 9, paragraph 1, of the Convention and that non-compliance in this regard creates serious obstacles to the effective functioning of the system established to monitor the implementation of the Convention at the national level.

The Committee urges the State party to prepare and submit, without further delay, its overdue reports under the Convention.

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