Norway welcomes this panel on technical cooperation and best practices in the follow-up of the UPR.
The UPR is still in an early stage, but Norway believes the UPR mechanism has great potential as a tool to boost the implementation of human rights.
Precisely because the review is universal and is based on the commitments the country itself has accepted, the UPR provides a uniquely constructive framework for dialogue and cooperation with other countries, as well as with the United Nations system.
Norway is pleased to announce our contribution of 3 mill NOK to the OHCHR Voluntary Fund for financial and technical assistance. We encourage other countries to do the same
Norway makes use of the UPR recommendations by raising them in our dialogue with concerned countries.. Our embassies are requested to include the recommendations from the UPR in their daily work on technical cooperation. They are encouraged to identify recommendations that are particularly suitable for enhanced cooperation between Norway and the respective country.
This leads me to two questions for the panel:
1. Norway believes that human rights, democracy and the rule of law should be in focus throughout the United Nations system. This should certainly include the recommendations of the UPR.
We particularly encourage the OHCHR to enhance its efforts to document good practices at country and regional levels with regard to UPR and to share them with others.
How can the UPR be used to secure more alignment at the national level within the UN system and with other donors?
2. We also believe that knowledge and understanding by a wide group of stakeholders, ranging from policymakers and civil society to public officials are key for follow up of the UPR recommendations. How can the OHCHR strengthen the knowledge of UPR through the use of voluntary funds and other means at its disposal?