Anjali Sharma
GG News Bureau
UNITED NATIONS, 3rd Feb. According to the ad hoc Conciliation Commission on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, Qatar on Thursday has lodged discrimination complaint against the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, the body concluded its work after the resolution of these disputes.
The ad hoc Conciliation Commission was established by the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination in the wake of a diplomatic crisis between the neighbouring Gulf nations eight years ago.
Verene Shepherd, the CERD chair said “I hope that the consensus found by Qatar, the UAE and Saudi Arabia to discontinue the proceedings is the result of a genuine dialogue between the parties to end the dispute which arose in 2018 concerning allegations of racial discrimination,”
UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Egypt severed diplomatic and economic relations with Qatar, citied alleged support for terrorism in 2017.
Qatar submitted complaints against the UAE and Saudi Arabia to the CERD, marked a first in the UN Committee’s history.
The authorities claimed that political and economic sanctions, including the blockade of its borders, were directed at Qatari citizens solely based on their nationality, without legitimate justification.
CERD monitors global implementation of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, which entered into force more than 50 years ago.
The ad hoc Conciliation Commissions were appointed in February 2020 to discuss the complaints.
The Committee commended all countries concerned for their cooperation to reach an amicable settlement to the racial discrimination disputes.
Ms. Shepherd said “Such cooperation demonstrates States parties’ steadfast engagement to the collective enforcement of the Convention,”.
Qatar and the UAE had both requested and agreed to end their proceedings at an ad hoc Conciliation Commission meeting on 26 January.
The second Commission involved Saudi Arabia wrapped up last year after agreement by both parties.
CERD has registered case by Palestine against Israel, which is pending, it added.
