The fifth session of the Expert Mechanism on the Right to Development will take place virtually from Wednesday, 9 March to Friday, 11 March 2022, 11am to 1pm and 3pm to 5pm, Eastern Daylight Time (EDT/New York time).

At this session, the Expert Mechanism will consider the following:

1. Opening of the session.
2. Adoption of the agenda and programme of work.
3. General debate.
4. Implementation of the mandate and programme of work:
   • Focused thematic discussion;
   • Coordination meeting with mandate holders and experts;
   • Commentary on article 1 (1) of the Declaration on the Right to Development;
   • Meeting with non-governmental organizations.
   • Consideration of thematic studies:
5. Overview of the study on the theme “Right to development in international investment law”.
6. Conclusions and adoption of the annual report.

The meeting of the Expert Mechanism will be divided into public and private segments (please refer to the programme of work). Participation will only be possible in the public meetings. Remote simultaneous interpretation will be made available during the public meetings.

Delegates and other stakeholders wishing to participate in this meeting should register. For that purpose, kindly send an email to [email protected] to receive the registration form to be completed. The registration will remain open until 18:00 EDT, Tuesday, 8 March 2022. A link to join the virtual meeting on zoom will be sent ahead of the session to those who complete the registration.

States, United Nations mechanisms, bodies and specialized agencies, funds and programmes, intergovernmental organizations, regional organizations and mechanisms in the field of human rights, national human rights institutions and other relevant national bodies, academics and experts on development issues, and non-governmental organizations in consultative status with the Economic and Social Council are allowed to ask for the floor and intervene, in that order.

States, NGOs and other stakeholders are kindly requested to coordinate among themselves so that only one person will take the floor per delegation.

Delegations are kindly reminded to submit copies of their statements to [email protected] prior to delivery.

For further enquiries, please contact [email protected]

Documentation

• Provisional agenda
• Draft programme of work
• Concept note for the meeting with non-governmental organizations on “The Right to Development and Peace and Security”
• Concept note on open discussion with mandate holders on the “Duty to Cooperate”
• Concept note on open discussion with a mandate holder on the “The Right to Health and the Right to Development in the Pandemic Era”
• Commentary on article 1 (1) of the Declaration on the Right to Development (A/HRC/EMRTD/5/CRP.1) 
• Overview of the study on the theme “RTD in international investment law” (A/HRC/EMRTD/5/CRP.2)

Statements

• Opening remarks by Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights, Ms. Ilze Brands Kehris
• Opening statement by the Chair of the Expert Mechanism
• The Fifth Session of the EMRTD Concluding remarks by Koen De Feyter, Chair

Videos

• First meeting, 11h – 13h, 9 March 2022 (items 1, 2 and 3)
• Second meeting, 15h – 17h, 9 March 2022 (items 4(c) and 4(d))
• Third meeting, 11h – 13h, 10 March 2022
• Fourth meeting, 15h – 17h, 10 March 2022 (item 5(a) and 5(b))
• Fifth meeting, 11h – 13h, 11 March 2022 (item 4(a))
• Sixth meeting, 15h – 17h, 11 March 2022 (item 6)