CIDSE oral statement
On 12 April 2024, Ambassador Cristian Espinosa Cañizares, Chair-Rapporteur of the UN Open-Ended Intergovernmental Working Group (OEIWG) on Transnational Corporations and Other Business Enterprises with Respect to Human Rights and Permanent Representative of Ecuador to the United Nations in Geneva, convened a consultation on the proposed draft roadmap for the 10th session of the OEIGW (Geneva, 21-25 October 2024). Our network was represented by François Mercier from Fastenaktion, CIDSE’s Swiss member organisation. Below is the text of the oral statement he delivered on behalf of the members of the CIDSE Working Group on Corporate Regulation.*
12 April 2024
Mr. Chair,
Thank you for the proposed roadmap towards the 10th session and for your openness to receive input on this open-ended intergovernmental working group’s work. We would like to express some concerns in view of your proposed roadmap:
- While we welcome the call for legal experts to support the work of this open-ended working group, we want to highlight the need for a balanced representation. It is important to ensure a gender balance and the representation from different sectors, free from corporate interests, as this could jeopardize the progress and consensus achieved during the ten years of negotiations.
- Regarding the expected procedure for the 10th session, we would like Mr. Chair to clarify whether discussions are expected to start from article 3 onwards, as this was the last provision discussed during the 9th session.
- Finally, we would like to express our concern about the lack of resources impacting the whole process. To guarantee a transparent, balanced, and climate-sensitive process, we urge the Human Rights Council to ensure hybrid participation in the coming intersessional, interregional thematic consultations. This is essential to ensure the participation of various stakeholders who cannot afford to travel to Geneva.
Thank you!
*The CIDSE Working Group on Corporate Regulation consists of the following member organisations: Broederllijk Delen, CAFOD, CCFD-Terre Solidaire, Fastenaktion, Focsiv, DKA-Austria, Manos Unidas, Misereor, SCIAF, Trócaire, Alboan.
Contact: Susana Hernandez, Corporate Regulation Officer, CIDSE (hernandez(at)cidse.org)
Cover photo credit: CIDSE