10/06/2009

Long queues for the list of speakers resume

In continuity with the fourth UPR session of last February, numerous State delegates queued yesterday and this morning in order to register for the list of speakers for the adoption of UPR Working Group reports. This morning, it is said that ten delegates were already queuing at 4 am to be among the ten first that will be allowed to take the floor, despite the Palais des Nations opening only at 6 am. At 7 am already twenty-five States were queuing.

For today's adoptions, 28 delegations signed up yesterday for Bangladesh, 35 for the Russian Federation, 21 for Nigeria, 14 for Cameroon, 38 for Cuba and a record of 44 for Saudi Arabia.

The list opens everyday at 2.45 pm for adoptions held the day after.

The same enthusiasm was witnessed for the NGO list. However, NGOs cannot enter before 8 am in the building. Yesterday, a small number still managed to get in from 6 am and inscribed on all six adoptions. Those that arrived at 8 o'clock sharp complained to the Secretariat of the Human Rights Council, which issued an announcement reminding NGOs not to enter the Palais before 8 am. Today, all NGOs entered at 8 and had to run to register among the first.

For both States and NGOs, the list for Malaysia's adoption on Friday will open tomorrow Thursday at 2.45 pm.