Eritrea's Statement to the Non-Aligned Movement

Permanent Mission of The State of Eritrea 

To the United Nations, New York

The Permanent Mission of Eritrea to the United Nations presents its compliments to the Permanent Mission of Islamic Republic of Iran, in its capacity as the Chair of the Coordinating Bureau of the Non-Aligned Movement, and the honor to draw the attention of the sisterly countries of the Movement on a politically motivated country-specific draft resolution tabled by Djibouti and Somalia against Eritrea at the Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland.

The Movement has always underscored that international cooperation on the promotion and protection of human rights shall be based on constructive dialogue and cooperation and has rejected the establishment of "country-specific tools which would lead to politicization, double standards and selectivity in dealing with human rights issues."

Concerning the Human Rights Council and country-specific resolution, the 16^th Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Non-Aligned Movement, has clearly and unambiguously reaffirmed and stressed:

a. "that universality, transparency, impartiality, objectivity and non-selectivity should be guiding principles for the work of the Council and its method of work."

b. "the need to defend the principles of non-selectivity, non-politicization, objectivity and impartiality in the consideration of human rights situations, as well as to ensure that human rights are not used for political purposes and adopting politically motivated decisions and to avoid the problems which plagued the former Human Rights Commission. In this regard, they expressed their concern over the proliferation of politicization and double standards, as well as country specific resolutions at the Human Rights Council."

c. "that Universal Periodic Review is the main inter-governmental mechanism to review human rights issues at the national level in all countries without distinction."

d. "that the Human Rights Council should not be used as a tool to coerce States and subject them to politically motivated country-specific resolutions."

Permanent Mission of the Islamic Republic of Iran
to the United Nations
New York, NY

Unfortunately, against this clear and unambiguous decision of the NAM heads of State and Government and Ministers, members of our Movement, Djibouti and Somalia, has tabled a draft country-specific resolution against Eritrea. This draft country-specific resolution is clear violation of NAM's principled position and Heads State and Government decisions.

Eritrea believes that the Universal Periodic Review is the appropriate mechanism through which Human Rights issues of any country be reviewed. As a result, it has presented its report of the second cycle in June 2014 and is studiously working to implement the recommendations.

The Government of Eritrea while calling on the Governments of Djibouti and Somalia to withdraw their draft country-specific resolution, it appeals to all members of the Non-Alignment Movement to reject the aforementioned draft resolution.

The Permanent Mission of Eritrea also requests the Chair of the Coordinating Bureau to remind and urge all members to respect and uphold NAM's common position as decided by the Heads of State and Government.

The permanent Mission of Eritrea to the United Nations kindly requests the Permanent Mission of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the United Nations to circulate this note verbal to all Permanent Missions of the Non Aligned Movement.

The Permanent Mission of Eritrea to the United Nations avails itself of this opportunity to renew to the Permanent Mission of Islamic Republic of Iran, in its capacity as the Chair of the Coordinating Bureau of the Non-Aligned Movement, the assurance of its highest consideration.

New York, 30 June 2015

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