HUMAN RIGHTS COMMITTEEEighty-ninth sessionNew York, 12-30 March 2007

PROVISIONAL AGENDA AND ANNOTATIONS

Note by the Secretary-General

1.The eighty-ninth session of the Human Rights Committee will be held at United Nations Headquarters from 12 to 30 March 2007. The first meeting will be convened Monday, 12 March 2007 at 10 a.m.

2.In accordance with rule 6 of the Committee’s rules of procedure, the Secretary-General has prepared, in consultation with the Chairperson of the Committee, the attached provisional agenda for the eighty-ninth session. Annotations to the provisional agenda are also attached.

3.Pursuant to rule 33 of the Committee’s rules of procedure, the meetings of the Committee will be held in public unless the Committee decides otherwise or it appears from the relevant provisions of the Covenant or the Optional Protocol that the meetings should be held in private.

4.The attention of States parties is drawn, in particular, to the annotations to item 8, which contains the tentative timetable for the consideration of reports during the eighty-ninth session. In accordance with rule 68 of the Committee’s rules of procedure, representatives of States parties are expected to be present at the meetings of the Committee when their reports are examined.

5.As established under rule 95 of its rules of procedure, a working group should meet for a period of one week prior to its eighty-ninth session. The pre-sessional working group will meet from 5 to 9 March 2007.

GE.07-40055

PROVISIONAL AGENDA

1.Opening of the session by the representative of the Secretary-General.

2.Solemn declaration by newly elected members of the Committee in accordance with article 38 of the Covenant.

3.Election of Chairperson and other officers of the Committee.

4.Adoption of the agenda.

5.Organizational and other matters.

6.Meeting with representatives of non-governmental and intergovernmental organizations.

7.Submission of reports by States parties under article 40 of the Covenant.

8.Consideration of reports submitted by States parties under article 40 of the Covenant and of country situations.

9.Follow-up to concluding observations on State reports and to Views under the Optional Protocol.

10.General comments of the Committee.

11.Consideration of communications under the Optional Protocol to the Covenant.

ANNOTATIONS

1. Opening of the session by the representative of the Secretary-General

The Representative of the Secretary-General will open the eighty-ninth session of the Committee.

2.Solemn declaration by newly elected members of the Committeein accordance with article 38 of the Covenant

In accordance with article 38 of the Covenant and rule 16 of the rules of procedure, the nine members of the Committee elected or re-elected at the Twenty-Fifth Meeting of States Parties to the Covenant on 7 September 2006 will make the following solemn declaration:

“I solemnly undertake to discharge my duties as a member of the Human Rights Committee impartially and conscientiously.”

3. Election of Chairperson and other officers of the Committee

In accordance with article 39, paragraph 1, of the Covenant and rule 17 of the rules of procedure, the Committee shall elect from among its members a Chairperson, three Vice‑Chairpersons and a Rapporteur. The officers of the Committee shall be elected for a term of two years (rule 18 of the rules of procedure). Under rule 58 of the rules of procedure, elections shall be held by secret ballot, unless the Committee decides otherwise in the case of an election to fill a place for which there is only one candidate.

4. Adoption of the agenda

Under rule 8 of the Committee’s rules of procedure, the first item on the agenda for any session shall be the adoption of the agenda. In accordance with rule 9, the Committee may revise the agenda during a session and may, as appropriate, defer or delete items.

5. Organizational and other matters

Under this item, the Committee will consider miscellaneous issues relevant to the Committee’s business.

6.Meeting with representatives of non-governmental and intergovernmental organizations

At its eighty-eight session, the Committee decided to hear representatives of non‑governmental and intergovernmental organizations represented at United Nations Headquarters. The meeting has accordingly been scheduled for the morning meeting on Monday, 12 March 2007, from 11.30 a.m. to 1.00 p.m. (subject to the completion of items 1-5 by 11.30 a.m.).

7. Submission of reports by States parties under article 40 of the Covenant

A. Reports received

Apart from the reports which are scheduled for consideration by the Committee at its eighty-ninthsession (see the timetable for consideration of reports under item 8 below), the Secretary-General has received the initial report of Botswana, the second periodic reports of The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and San Marino, the third periodic report of Algeria, and the sixth periodic report of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland .

B. Reports due

For the situation with regard to the submission of reports by States parties under article 40 of the Covenant, reference is made to chapter III and annex IV of the Committee’s annual report to the General Assembly for 2006 (see A/61/40, vol. I).

8.Consideration of reports submitted by States parties under article 40 of the Covenant and of country situations

A tentative timetable for the consideration of reports and country situations at the eighty‑ninth session, prepared in consultation with the Committee, is given below:

Timetable for consideration of reports of States parties and of country situations

Madagascar	Third periodic report (CCPR/C/MDG/2005/3)	Monday, 12 March 2007 p.m.Tuesday, 13 March 2007 a.m.
Chile	Fifth periodic report (CCPR/C/CHL/5)	Wednesday, 14 March 2007 p.m. Thursday, 15 March 2007 a.m.
Rwanda	Country situation	Monday, 19 March 2007 p.m.Tuesday, 20 March 2007 a.m.
Barbados	Third periodic report (CCPR/C/BRB/3)	Wednesday, 21 March 2007 p.m.Thursday, 22 March 2007 a.m.

In accordance with rule 68 of the Committee’s rules of procedure, the Secretary-General has informed the States parties concerned of the dates on which their respective reports are scheduled for consideration by the Committee at its eighty-ninth session.

The reports to be considered during the eighty-ninth session are those of Madagascar, Chile, and Barbados.

In accordance with rule 70, paragraph 1, of the Committee’s rules of procedure, Rwanda has also been informed of the dates for the consideration of the situation of civil and political rights in the country (in the absence of a report) at the Committee’s eighty-ninth session.

9.Follow-up to concluding observations and to Views under the Optional Protocol

At its seventy-fourth session, the Committee adopted decisions governing the procedure for following up on concluding observations. During the seventy-fifth session, a Special Rapporteur for follow-up on concluding observations was appointed; he will provide a progress report on his activities during the eighty-ninth session. The Special Rapporteur for follow-up on Views will equally provide a progress report on his activities.

10. General comments of the Committee

Under this item, the Committee will continue consideration of a draft revised general comment on article 14 (right to a fair trial).

11.Consideration of communications under the Optional Protocol to the Covenant

In accordance with the provisions of chapter XVII of the rules of procedure, the Committee will consider under this item communications which are or appear to be submitted to it under the Optional Protocol.

A total of 294 communications are pending before the Committee as of 11 December 2006. Pursuant to the Committee’s new rules of procedure allowing the joint examination of admissibility and merits in most cases, the Committee’s examination of these communications may result in the adoption of Views, or in decisions declaring the communications admissible or inadmissible.

In accordance with article 5, paragraph 3, of the Optional Protocol and rule 88 of the Committee’s rules of procedure, this agenda item will be considered in closed meetings.

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