COMMITTEE ON THE ELIMINATION
OF RACIAL DISCRIMINATION
Fifty-first session

CONSIDERATION OF REPORTS SUBMITTED BY STATES PARTIES
UNDER ARTICLE 9 OF THE CONVENTION

Concluding observations of the Committee on the
Elimination of Racial Discrimination

Guyana

484. At its 1242nd meeting, held on 21 August 1997 (see CERD/C/SR.1242), the Committee reviewed the implementation of the Convention by Guyana. The Committee noted with regret that no initial report has been submitted to it since 1978.

485. The Committee regretted that Guyana had not responded to its invitation to participate in the meeting and to furnish relevant information. The multi-ethnic composition of the population and the existence of indigenous communities in Guyana make the implementation of the Convention particularly important. The Committee decided that a communication should be sent to the Government of Guyana setting out its reporting obligations under the Convention and urging that the dialogue with the Committee be started as soon as possible.

486. The Committee suggested that the Government of Guyana may wish to avail itself of the technical assistance offered under the advisory services and technical assistance programme of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights/Centre for Human Rights, with the aim of drawing up and submitting its initial report, in accordance with the reporting guidelines, by the Committee's fifty-second session.