The fifth session of the Expert Mechanism on the Right to Development took 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 considered 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 was divided into public and private segments (please refer to the programme of work). Participation was only possible in the public meetings. Remote simultaneous interpretation was available during the public meetings.

Delegates and other stakeholders wishing to participate in this meeting should register. For that purpose, an email was requested to be sent to OHCHR-emrd@un.org to receive the registration form to be completed. The registration remained open until 18:00 EDT, Tuesday, 8 March 2022. A link to join the virtual meeting on zoom was sent ahead of the session to those who completed 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 were allowed to ask for the floor and intervene, in that order.

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

Delegations were kindly reminded to submit copies of their statements to OHCHR-emrtd@un.org prior to delivery.

For further enquiries, please contact OHCHR-emrtd@un.org

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)