Mr. President,
Norway would again like to thank the Special Rapporteur for her efforts. As a longstanding friend of Eritrea and its people, we remain deeply concerned by the reports of grave human rights violations and lack of accountability for crimes committed. It is vital that the Eritrea-Ethiopia Boundary Commission’s decision of 2002 be implemented. However, this issue does not legitimize violation of Eritrea’s human rights obligations.
Norway appreciates the intention of the Government of Eritrea to collaborate with the international community on the implementation of the accepted Universal Periodic Review recommendations. We stand ready to support. We also welcome the collaboration with and the recent visits by the OHCHR to Eritrea. We encourage Eritrea to extend an invitation to the Office of the High Commissioner to establish an office in the country. We urge the government to consider extending invitations to special rapporteurs working on civil and political rights, as well as economic, social and cultural rights. We encourage the government to increase efforts aimed at ensuring that the Eritrean people may enjoy life guided by a Constitution in compliance with international human rights obligations.
A question to the Special Rapporteur: How to you assess developments in the situation for economic and social rights in Eritrea?
Thank you