E/CN.4/2003/21 page 17 98. The Chairperson of the fifty-ninth Commission on Human Rights, Ms. Najat Al-Hajjaji, attended the eighth meeting and later addressed the participants of the Working Group. She congratulated the Group on its substantive work during its two sessions and expressed her support for the Working Group and the important issues that it was mandated to address. She said that she hoped that the Working Group would be able to meet with its full complement of five experts at its future sessions. She hoped that the African Group, together with other regional groups, when preparing the draft resolution on racism during the Commission, would be able to take on board many of the Working Group’s valuable recommendations and that the Group would receive funding to support the participation of non-governmental organizations at their sessions and missions for the experts. IV. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE WORKING GROUP OF EXPERTS ON PEOPLE OF AFRICAN DESCENT 99. At its first session, the Working Group adopted preliminary conclusions and recommendations. At its second session, these conclusions and recommendations were reviewed and enlarged to take into account the discussions of the second session. On the basis of these two sessions, the Working Group has agreed on the set of conclusions and recommendations set out below: The Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent, Having convened its first session from 25 to 29 November 2002 and its second session from 3 to 7 February 2003, at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Having reflected on its mandate and considered statements and submissions from Governments, United Nations specialized agencies and non-governmental organizations, Submits the following conclusions and recommendations to the Commission on Human Rights for consideration at its fifty-ninth session. A. Conclusions 1. The Working Group considers that people of African descent living in the diaspora are the historical and continuing victims of the transatlantic, Mediterranean and Indian Ocean slave trades and of slavery, have been recognized as such in the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action of the World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance.∗ The United Nations has recognized this group as one whose human rights must be promoted and protected, and who require support and a representative voice at the international level. ∗ Refer to paragraph 13 of the Durban Declaration and paragraph 119 of the Durban Programme of Action.