A/HRC/9/9 page 20 its thematic discussions and other priorities.40 The Permanent Forum has furthermore started to look at States as direct partners in a “constructive dialogue” on the “achievements, challenges and future action required in relation to indigenous peoples’ issues in each country under the Declaration”.41 68. The preamble of Human Rights Council resolution 6/36 establishing the new Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in December 2007 expressly refers to the Declaration.42 This reference provides the Expert Mechanism with a clear normative frame of reference for the fulfilment of its mandate to provide the Council with “thematic expertise” on the rights of indigenous peoples, particularly through studies and research-based advice.43 The studies to be undertaken by the Expert Mechanism will therefore be of key importance in operationalizing the rights affirmed in the Declaration and in mainstreaming them into the Council’s general activities on the promotion and protection of human rights. 69. The second mechanism of the Human Rights Council with a specific mandate on indigenous issues is the mandate of the Special Rapporteur, which, as discussed, entrusts the mandate-holder with the responsibility of promoting the Declaration and other relevant international instruments related to the rights of indigenous peoples. The Special Rapporteur fully acknowledges the need for close cooperation and partnership with the Permanent Forum and the Expert Mechanism with a view to working together in the important task of promoting the operationalization of the rights affirmed in the Declaration. The Special Rapporteur is sincerely committed to this task as part of his forthcoming activities. Specialized agencies 70. The specialized agencies and United Nations programmes and funds are explicitly considered by the Declaration as important actors for the implementation of the Declaration. The Declaration specifically calls for the engagement of the specialized agencies in the fields of “financial cooperation and technical assistance” (art. 41), and further calls upon the mainstreaming of Declaration into the agencies’ action at the local level (art. 42). In addition, the Declaration requires that the work of the agencies should ensure the “participation of indigenous peoples on issues affecting them” (art. 41). 71. As seen, the important role of specialized agencies in promoting the rights of indigenous peoples is underlined by the establishment of the Permanent Forum with a particulate mandate entrusted to it by the Economic and Social Council to interact with United Nations agencies in the mainstreaming of indigenous issues within the United Nations system. In 2001 the agencies 40 Ibid., para. 132. 41 Ibid., para. 133. 42 Second preambular paragraph. 43 Para. 1.

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