UNITED NATIONS CERD International Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Racial Discrimination Distr. GENERAL CERD/C/ECU/CO/19 22 September 2008 ENGLISH Original: SPANISH COMMITTEE ON THE ELIMINATION OF RACIAL DISCRIMINATION Seventy-third session 28 July-15 August 2008 CONSIDERATION OF REPORTS SUBMITTED BY STATES PARTIES UNDER ARTICLE 9 OF THE CONVENTION Concluding observations of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination ECUADOR 1. The Committee considered the seventeenth to nineteenth periodic reports of Ecuador, submitted as one document (CERD/C/ECU/19), at its 1876th and 1877th meetings (CERD/C/SR.1876 and CERD/C/SR.1877), held on 28 and 29 July 2008. At its 1896th meeting (CERD/C/SR.1896), held on 12 August 2008, it adopted the following concluding observations. A. Introduction 2. The Committee welcomes with satisfaction the periodic report submitted by Ecuador and the efforts made by the State party to submit its reports on time. The Committee appreciates the opportunity to renew the dialogue with the State party and expresses its gratitude for the open and frank dialogue with the delegation and the extensive and detailed responses provided, orally and in writing, both to the list of issues and to the questions posed orally by the members. The Committee also notes the diversity of the delegation, in particular, the presence of a member of the Afro-descendant community. B. Positive aspects 3. The Committee welcomes the fact that in July 2008 the Constituent Assembly adopted the draft of the new Constitution, which will be the subject of a referendum in September 2008 and in particular the recognition of Ecuador’s multi-ethnic and multicultural nature. GE.08-44157 (E) 211008 221008