A/HRC/37/L.16
Explanation of Position by the United States of America
as delivered by Jason Mack
Human Rights Council, 37th Session
Geneva, March 22, 2018
Thank you, Mr. President.
We would like to thank Azerbaijan and the core-group for their cooperative spirit, which enabled us to join consensus on this resolution.
We also take this opportunity to make important points of clarification regarding the recalling of the Addis Ababa Action Agenda. Specifically, we note that much of the trade-related language in the Addis outcome document has been overtaken by events since July 2015 and is immaterial, and our recalling of the outcome document has no standing for ongoing work and negotiations involving trade. Indeed, some of the intervening events happened just months after the release of the outcome document.
We also note the longstanding and well known concerns of the United States regarding the “right to development,” and the progressive realization of economic, social, and cultural rights, as well as our concerns about the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which we will raise in more detail in our Explanation of Position at the end of Agenda Item 3.