Kampala Convention: UN expert welcomes the establishment of the Conference of States Parties
HARARE (5 April 2017) – The Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons, Cecilia Jimenez-Damary, today welcomed the holding of the first meeting of the Conference of State Parties to the African Union Convention for the Protection and Assistance of Internally Displaced Persons in Africa (Kampala Convention).
Stressing the fact that the Kampala Convention is the first and only regional legally binding instrument for the protection and assistance of IDPs, incorporates the Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement into it, and is unique in many respects, the Special Rapporteur stated that “by ratifying the Convention, States Parties have set an important example for all other African States in showing political will to fulfil their obligations towards IDPs. Their active participation in this landmark event speaks to their equally strong commitment to make concrete progress on implementing the Convention”.