Durban Review Conference 2009 (New)

The Durban Review Conference will be held in Geneva, Switzerland from April 20-24, 2009.

On May 26 the Preparatory Committee announced that the Durban Review Conference will be held in Geneva, Switzerland from April 20-24, 2009. The UN High Commission for Human Rights has also reported that the Latin American and Caribbean regional DRC meeting will be held in Brasilia, Brazil, from 17 to 19 June, 2008. Locations for the other regional meetings have not been selected.

• South Africa pulls ‘Durban II” bid, Jerusalem Post, Tovah Lazaroff and JTA, May 2, 2008

Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs) may participate in the Durban Review Conference as observers

NGOs and other members of civil society are able to participate in both the Durban Review Conference and the Preparatory Committee Meetings provided they receive accreditation or have ECOSOC status. Some NGOs are also promoting the inclusion of a parallel NGO forum (discussed below).

During last month’s Preparatory Committee Meetings, the only NGO active in the Israeli-Arab conflict to receive accreditation was the Palestinian Grassroots Anti-Apartheid Wall Campaign (PGAAWC). PGAAWC is a network of NGOs focusing on separation barrier (“apartheid wall”) activities and the promotion of the BDS (boycotts, divestment and sanctions) campaign. The Canadian Council for Israel and Jewish Advocacy (CIJA) also submitted an application to attend the DRC. Despite support from the EU delegations and acceptance by the UN bureaucracy, Iran, Libya, Algeria, Egypt and the PA vetoed its application. CIJA subsequently withdrew its application after Iran made a “series of aggressive and seemingly endless objections” to the NGO’s attempt to obtain accreditation for the conference. In total, forty-four NGOs were granted accreditation (7 accredited, 37 provisionally accepted, 1 withdrawal, 1 excluded) during the DRC’s first Preparatory Committee Meetings.

• Catastrophic,  but not apartheid, Benjamin Pogrund, Ha’aretz, May 2, 2008
• Human Rights First Calls on Governments to Prevent Repeat of Problems that Plagued 2001 [Durban] Conference, April 17, 2008
• Iran seeks to bar Jewish group from UN’s Durban II racism conference, April 17, 2008
• NGO statement condemning antisemitism at Durban 2001 conference and pledging not to oppose use of UN fora for incitement and "any form of racism, including antisemitism"
• ‘Amnesty Antisemitic?’, by Paul Damen — excerpt from an article in the NIW (Nieuw Israelitisch Weekblad), n. 19, February 1, 2008.
• Will the world repeat the tragedy of Durban?’, Paul Gross, South African Jewish Report, 15 February 2008. 

Nations Spar Over Host For U.N. Racism Parley, April 18, 2008

Iran seeks to bar Jewish group from UN’s Durban II racism conference, April 17, 2008

Anti-semitism clouds 2009 summit on racism, April 14, 2008

In what UN Watch calls a possible "preview" of things to come, "Algeria tells UN Durban follow-up session: Islamohobia is the new anti-Semitism" (UN Watch news report, Feb. 19, 2008). Algeria’s statements were made during the first meeting of the "Ad Hoc Committee of the Human Rights Council on the Elaboration of Complementary Standards," which "was created by a UN Human Rights Council resolution on follow-up to the 2001 Durban conference."

• Will the world repeat the tragedy of Durban?‘, Paul Gross, South African Jewish Report, 15 February 2008.
• Voting Against Hate, A few nights before Christmas, at the U.N., Anne Bayefsky, National Review Online, December 27, 2007 

Human Rights First Calls on Governments to Prevent Repeat of Problems that Plagued 2001 [Durban] Conference, April 17, 2008

Statement by Zalmay Khalilzad, U.S. Permanent Representative, on the Durban II Conference and the Human Rights Council, to the Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations, April 14, 2008

Jerusalem & Babylon / Ignoring Durban summit not an option, Anshel Pfeffer, Haaretz, March 1, 2008.

“World Jews, Israel, to Meet on Durban 2”, Jerusalem Post, Haviv Rettig, Feb. 25, 2008.

"U.S. must stand strong against UN’s anti-Semitic confab," Anne Bayefsky, NY Daily News, Feb. 21, 2008.

In what UN Watch calls a possible "preview" of things to come, "Algeria tells UN Durban follow-up session: Islamohobia is the new anti-Semitism" (UN Watch news report, Feb. 19, 2008). Algeria’s statements were made during the first meeting of the "Ad Hoc Committee of the Human Rights Council on the Elaboration of Complementary Standards," which "was created by a UN Human Rights Council resolution on follow-up to the 2001 Durban conference."

Maimi Herald Editorial page (Feb. 18, 2008) praises French President Sarkozy’s statement that France (scheduled to head the EU presidency in the run-up to the 2009 Durban Review Conference) would withdraw from the conference if it includes Anti-Semitism and racist elements, as the 2001 conference did.

• National Post Editorial: ‘Shun Durban II’, January 25, 2008
• Durban 2009: Canada says it will not participate, January 23, 2008
• Israel wants US and EU to snub Durban II, Jerusalem Post, December 31, 2007
• Voting Against Hate, A few nights before Christmas, at the U.N., Anne Bayefsky, National Review Online, December 27, 2007
• Dollars for Durban II – Back to the U.N by Claudia Rosett, National Review Online, December 12, 2007

Regional Conference for Latin America and Caribbean Preparatory to the Durban Review Conference – Brasilia, Brazil, 17 to 19 June, 2008.

2nd substantive PrepCom – October 6 – 17, 2008 in Geneva
Durban Review Conference 2009 – summer 2009, t.b.c.

The second substantive session is scheduled for October 6-17.

The Preparatory Committee Meetings provide a forum for UN member states and members of civil society to discuss the modalities and objectives of the DRC. The first stage of the Prepearatory Committee meetings was held between 21 April and 2 May 2008. The regional preparatory initiatives, date and venue are also decided at these meetings. The second substantive session is scheduled for October 6-17. The Preparatory Committee members, who are responsible for organizing these meetings, can be found here.

• CIJA blocked from Durban II, Paul Lungen, Canadian Jewish News, May 8, 2008
• Documents from the First Substantive Durban Preparatory Committee Session, Eye on the UN

Statement by Zalmay Khalilzad, U.S. Permanent Representative, on the Durban II Conference and the Human Rights Council, to the Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations, April 14, 2008

Europe should boycott Durban II, Bernie M. Farber, The Jerusalem Post, March 26, 2008.

Durban: Not again, Abraham H. Foxman, Ha’aretz, March 20, 2008.

Jerusalem & Babylon / Ignoring Durban summit not an option, Anshel Pfeffer, Haaretz, March 1, 2008.

“World Jews, Israel, to Meet on Durban 2”, Jerusalem Post, Haviv Rettig, Feb. 25, 2008.

"U.S. must stand strong against UN’s anti-Semitic confab," Anne Bayefsky, NY Daily News, Feb. 21, 2008.

Maimi Herald Editorial page (Feb. 18, 2008) praises French President Sarkozy’s statement that France (scheduled to head the EU presidency in the run-up to the 2009 Durban Review Conference) would withdraw from the conference if it includes Anti-Semitism and racist elements, as the 2001 conference did.
Former South African parliamentary leader speaks out against planned 2009 Durban Review Conference (“Leon: Racism conference may turn into a ‘hate fest’ ”, Mail and Guardian – Cape Town, Feb. 13, 2008).

• ‘Exposing the anti-Semitism of Durban II‘, By Paul Schneidereit, Jan. 29, 2008, The Chronicle Herald, Halifax (Canada)
• National Post Editorial: ‘Shun Durban II’, January 25, 2008
• Durban 2009: Canada says it will not participate, January 23, 2008
• Israel wants US and EU to snub Durban II, Jerusalem Post, December 31, 2007

A decision has not been taken on whether the DRC will include a parallel NGO Forum

During the 2001 World Conference Against Racism (Durban 2001) over 3,000 NGOs participated in an NGO Forum, which produced what is known as “The NGO Declaration.” This document sought to demonize and undermine the legitimacy of Israel by accusing it of “apartheid,” “racism,” “ethnic cleansing” and “genocide.”

Durban II  Update: UN Watch reports (Feb. 5, 2008) that inclusion of NGO Forum at 2009 Conference is being debated; location of 2009 Conference and preparatory meetings also unknown.