A global call for concrete action for the total elimination of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance and the comprehensive implementation of and follow-up to the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action A/RES/71/181 Recognizing and affirming that the global fight against racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance and all their abhorrent and contemporary forms and manifestations is a matter of priority for the international community, I International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination 1. Reaffirms the paramount importance of universal adherence to and the full and effective implementation of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, 2 adopted by the General Assembly in its resolution 2106 A (XX) of 21 December 1965, in addressing the scourges of racism and racial discrimination; 2. Calls upon States that have not done so to consider acceding to and/or ratifying the Convention, and States parties to consider making the declaration under article 14 of the Convention, as well as to consider withdrawing reservations to article 4 of the Convention, as a matter of urgency, in view of the fact that the continued maintenance of reservations negates the essence of the instrument and defeats its objects and purposes; 3. Underlines, in the above context, that the provisions of the Convention do not respond effectively to contemporary manifestations of racial discrimination, in particular in relation to xenophobia and related intolerance, which is recognized as the rationale behind the convening of the World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance in 2001; 4. Takes note of the acknowledgement by the Human Rights Council and its subsidiary structures of the existence of both procedural and substantive gaps in the Convention, which must be filled as a matter of urgency, necessity and priority; 5. Expresses its concern at the lack of progress in the elaboration of complementary standards to the Convention to fill existing gaps through the development of new normative standards aimed at combating all forms of contemporary and resurgent scourges of racism, and in this regard calls upon the Chairperson-Rapporteur of the Ad Hoc Committee of the Human Rights Council on the Elaboration of Complementary Standards to the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination to ensure the commencement of the negotiations on the draft additional protocol to the Convention criminalizing acts of a racist and xenophobic nature; 6. Requests the Chairperson-Rapporteur of the Ad Hoc Committee on the Elaboration of Complementary Standards to present a progress report to the General Assembly at its seventy-second session; II International Decade for People of African Descent 7. Welcomes the proclamation of the International Decade for People of African Descent, as contained in its resolution 68/237 of 23 December 2013, and the celebratory launch of the Decade on 10 December 2014; _______________ 2 United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 660, No. 9464. 3/7