Working Group on Right to Development elects new Chairperson-Rapporteur

19 September 2007


The Working Group on the right to development of the United Nations Human Rights Council has elected Arjun Sengupta of India as its Chairperson-Rapporteur.

The Working Group elected Mr. Sengupta by acclamation on 10 September following the resignation of Ibrahim Salama of Egypt, who had chaired the panel since February 2004.

Mr. Sengupta was nominated by the Asian Group of countries and endorsed by the African Group and the Non-Aligned Movement. He is a renowned economist and human rights expert who has worked in a number of capacities at the national and international levels. Between 1999 and 2004 he served as the United Nations Independent Expert on the Right to Development. He has been serving as the United Nations Independent Expert on human rights and extreme poverty since 2004.

__________


For use of the information media; not an official record