Annual UN event continues with nine States endorsing multilateral treaties

Nine Member States today participated in the third day of the 2008 United Nations treaty event, further helping to promote universal participation in more than 500 multilateral global pacts, by signing or ratifying 22 separate conventions, agreements, treaties and optional protocols.

The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities has again been a focus of the event with New Zealand and Uganda both ratifying the pact, and Uganda also ratifying its Optional Protocol. Meanwhile, Pakistan has signed the Convention and Romania its Optional Protocol.

Romania joined the list of signatories to the International Tropical Timber Agreement, which also includes Australia, Spain and the Czech Republic.

Following Malaysia’s lead from yesterday, Belgium ratified the UN Convention against Corruption.

Liberia has become party to the Law of the Sea Convention and the Agreement related to its implementation. Guyana likewise ratified the Agreement, while also becoming party to the Convention on Road Signs and Signals.

The Convention for Migrant Workers and the Convention on the Prohibitions on the Use of Certain Conventional Weapons was ratified by Jamaica, which also adopted its four related protocols and amendments.

Comoros today signed two human rights treaties, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the separate Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

As 2008 also marks the 60th anniversary of adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, this year’s event focuses on the theme “Universal Participation and Implementation – Dignity and Justice for All of Us.”

In total this year’s treaty event has prompted 48 treaty actions by 24 States.