The thirteenth session of the Expert Mechanism on the Right to the Development took place in Conference Room 6, at the United Nations Headquarters building in New York, from 21 April to 23 April 2026, with open public meetings on Tuesday, 21 April (15:00 – 18:00), and on Wednesday and Thursday, 22–23 April (10:00 - 13:00 and 15:00 – 18:00), Eastern Daylight Time (EDT), in-person only.

The thirteenth session focused on the 40^th anniversary of the United Nations Declaration on the Right to Development and included thematic discussions around contemporary challenges and cross-cutting themes for the operationalization of the right to development.

The session featured a general debate, discussions on two EMRTD’s thematic studies, and four interactive thematic dialogues to draw upon experiences, good practices, and strategies around pressing global needs.

1. Opening of the session
   • Opening statement on behalf of Ms. Ilze Brands Kehris, Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights by Mr. Rio Hada, Chief, Equality, Development and Rule of Law Section in the UN Human Rights Office in New York
2. Adoption of the agenda and programme of work

3. General debate

   Statements: 
   Group of States: European Union, Uganda on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement
   Individual States: Bangladesh, Nigeria, Morocco, Pakistan, Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Cuba, Russian Federation, Mexico, Yemen, Indonesia, South Africa, Zimbabwe, China
   Other stakeholders: APG23

4. Implementation of the mandate and programme of work:
   1. Consideration of thematic studies:
      1. Artificial intelligence, cultural rights, and the right to development
         A/HRC/EMRTD/13/CRP.1 / Flyer / Introduction
         • H. E. Mr. Sun Lei, Deputy Permanent Representative of China (Statement)
         • Prof. Serges Djoyou Kamga, University of the Free State, S.A. (Talking points)
         • Dr. Nathan C. Walker, AI Ethics Lab, Rutgers University-Camden (Slides / Demo)
         • Statements: 
           States: India, Brazil, South Africa 
           Other stakeholders: Africa Culture Internationale, Humanity First, ​​African Centre for Democracy and Human Rights Studies, Shaanxi Patriotic Volunteer Association, Bonaire Human Rights Organization Foundation
      2. Peace and security and the right to development
         A/HRC/EMRTD/13/CRP.2 / Flyer / Introduction
         • Dr. Šejla Đurbuzović, Deputy Permanent Representative of Bosnia and Herzegovina (Statement)
         • Dr. Aziz Ahmad Hafiz, Humanity First (Statement / Slides)
         • Ms. Marian Da Silva, Columbia Law School (Statement)
         • Mr. Michael Collins, Institute for Economics and Peace (Statement)
         • Statements: 
           States: Pakistan 
           Other stakeholders: Africa Culture Internationale, Women’s Federation for World Peace International, International Association of Youth and Students for Peace, African Centre for Democracy and Human Rights Studies, Bonaire Human Rights Organization Foundation
   2. Focused thematic discussions:
      1. The role of regional mechanisms in realizing the right to development
         Concept Note / Flyer / Introduction
         • Hon. Dr. Litha Musyimi-Ogana, Commissioner of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Statement)
         • H.E. Mrs. Hedda Samson, Deputy Head of Delegation of the European Union (Statement)
         • Mr. Kamran Seyfullayev, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan, Chairmanship of Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (Statement)
         • H.E. Mr. Edmund Bon Tai Soon, Representative of Malaysia, ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (video-message, Statement)
         • Dr. Hadi bin Ali Al-Yami, Executive Director of the Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission of the OIC (video-message, Statement)
         • Statements: 
           States: Zimbabwe, Libya
           Other stakeholders: Humanity First, African Centre for Democracy and Human Rights Studies, Shaanxi Patriotic Volunteer Association
      2. Advancing non-discrimination, equality and development for all: 40 years of the right to development and 25 years of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action
         Concept Note / Flyer / Introduction
         • Ms. Rachel Barros de Oliveira, Minister of Racial Equality of Brazil (video message, Statement)
         • Prof. Melissa Perreault, Citizen of the Métis Nation, University of Guelph (Statement)
         • Prof. Radhika Balakrishnan, Rutgers University (Statement)
         • Mr. Chafi Bakari, African Commodities LLC (Talking points)
         • Ms. Ejim Dike, Social Impact and Human Rights Strategist (Statement)
         • Statements: 
           States: Mexico, Russian Federation, South Africa
           Other stakeholders: Humanity First, Bonaire Human Rights Organization Foundation
      3. An interactive chapter-by-chapter discussion on the draft international  covenant on the right to development
         Concept Note / Flyer
         • H.E. Amb. Godfrey Kwoba, Deputy Permanent Representative of Uganda (Statement)
         • Amb. Zamir Akram, Chair-Rapporteur of the Intergovernmental Working Group on the Right to Development (video-message, Statement)
         • Mr. Mihir Kanade, Chair and Rapporteur of the Expert Drafting Group (Introduction)
         • Prof. Dr. Diane Desierto, Professor of Law and Global Affairs, University of Notre Dame (Introduction)
         • Mr. Kanade's and Prof. Desierto's Replies to Questions
         • Statements: 
           Group of States: European Union
           States: Cuba, Philippines, Mexico
           Other stakeholders: Bonaire Human Rights Organization Foundation, Africa Culture Internationale, African Centre for Democracy and Human Rights Studies, Shaanxi Patriotic Volunteer Association, Women’s Federation for World Peace International
      4. Participation, inclusion and the right to development of migrants
         Concept Note / Flyer / Introduction
         • H.E. Amb. Ekitela Lokaale, Permanent Representative of Kenya (Statement)
         • H.E. Mr. Héctor Vasconcelos, Permanent Representative of Mexico (Statement)
         • Ms. Pia Oberoi, Chief of the Right to Development Section, OHCHR (Statement)
         • Ms. Neha Misra, Specialist in Migration (Statement)
         • Mr. Anwar Mehmood Ur Rehman, Africa Culture Internationale (Statement)
         • Statements: 
           States: Uganda, Mali, Philippines, Algeria
           Other stakeholders: Humanity First, Shaanxi Patriotic Volunteer Association
5. Conclusion of the session
   • The Thirteenth Session of the EMRTD Concluding Remarks
   • Statements: 
     States: Pakistan, Mali, Cuba

In-person participation was possible in the public meetings where simultaneous interpretation in the six official languages was provided.

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 could participate in the session and contribute to the discussions in public meetings of the EMRTD, in that order.

Registration

All participants were requested to register using Indico, which remained open until noon on Thursday, 16 April 2026, Eastern Daylight Time. Delegations were kindly reminded to submit copies of their statements to OHCHR-emrtd@un.org prior to delivery.

List of speakers

The list of speakers was open in the room at the beginning of each meeting. To pre-register in the list, participants were reminded to kindly send an email to OHCHR-emrtd@un.org.

Time limit

General debate: 10 minutes for statements of Group of States; 7 minutes for national statements, and 7 minutes for statements by IGOs, the UN, and other stakeholders.

Interactive dialogues: 3 minutes for all participants from the floor. Participants might take the floor more than once if time allows.

Documentation

• Provisional agenda
• Programme of work
• EMRTD Study “Artificial intelligence, cultural rights, and the right to development” (A/HRC/EMRTD/13/CRP.1)
• EMRTD Study “Peace and security and the right to development” (A/HRC/EMRTD/13/CRP.2)
• Concept note for the focused thematic discussion “The role of regional mechanisms in realizing the right to development”
• Concept note for the focused thematic discussion “Advancing non-discrimination, equality and development for all: 40 years of the right to development and 25 years of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action”
• Concept note for the focused thematic discussion “An interactive chapter-by-chapter discussion on the draft international covenant on the right to development”
• Draft international covenant on the right to development (A/HRC/54/50 )
• Draft international covenant on the right to development, with commentaries (A/HRC/54/50/Add.1)
• Draft international covenant on the right to development: consideration of comments and textual proposals (A/HRC/54/50/Add.2)
• Concept note for the focused thematic discussion “Participation, inclusion and the right to development of migrants”
• General flyer

Statements

• Opening statement on behalf of Ms. Ilze Brands Kehris, Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights by Mr. Rio Hada, Chief, Equality, Development and Rule of Law Section in the UN Human Rights Office in New York
• The Thirteenth Session of the EMRTD Concluding Remarks

Live streaming

• First meeting, Tuesday, 21 April 2026, 15:00 – 18:00 (Opening / Adoption PoW / General Debate)
• Second meeting, Wednesday, 22 April 2026, 10:00 - 13:00 (Thematic study Artificial intelligence, cultural rights, and the right to development / Thematic study Peace and security and the right to development)
• Third meeting, Wednesday, 22 April 2026, 15:00 – 18:00 (The role of regional mechanisms in realizing the right to development / Advancing non-discrimination, equality and development for all: 40 years of the right to development and 25 years of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action)
• Fourth meeting, Thursday, 23 April 2026, 10:00 - 13:00 (An interactive chapter-by-chapter discussion on the draft international covenant on the right to development)
• Fifth meeting, Thursday, 23 April 2026, 15:00 – 18:00 (Participation, inclusion and the right to development of migrants / Conclusion of the session)

Call for feedback and Contact

The EMRTD would be very grateful if you could take a few minutes to provide your valuable input or feedback regarding the 13^th session through this form.

For any further information or queries, please contact OHCHR-emrtd@un.org.