A/62/286 African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, and this is also the intent of the Special Rapporteur’s recommendations to African countries. D. Follow-up activities 24. As in previous years, the Special Rapporteur has also focused on the question of the implementation of the recommendations contained in his annual reports and, in particular, those contained in his reports on country visits. These activities have provided important input to the aforementioned study on best practices (see paras. 14 and 15 above). Follow-up activities are a very useful way of strengthening dialogue among Governments, civil society, indigenous organizations and other relevant stakeholders involved in the implementation of the Special Rapporteur’s recommendations, insofar as the latter make a meaningful contribution to the ultimate aim of promoting and protecting the rights of indigenous peoples. 25. Follow-up activities have included a forum entitled “Closing the implementation gap”, which took place in Ottawa on 2 and 3 October 2006 and was attended by representatives of the Government and of various Canadian indigenous and human rights organizations. The forum made it possible to highlight experiences and identify ongoing obstacles to the implementation of the recommendations made to the Canadian Government by the Special Rapporteur during his official visit to the country in 2003 (see A/HRC/4/32/Add.4). 26. In recent years, the Canadian Government has adopted a series of measures relating to the human rights of indigenous peoples, which are mentioned in the relevant reports. Examples of such measures include the reparations awarded to victims of the residential school system for indigenous children, support for an educational programme designed to combat violence against indigenous women and a legislative reform enabling indigenous women to seek recourse before the national Human Rights Commission. 27. The forum also highlighted a number of delays, for instance in the implementation of the Kelowna Accord concluded in 2005 between Government ministers and indigenous organizations, and the continued existence of many conflicts relating to indigenous peoples’ lands and territories. A particularly controversial issue, alluded to by a number of legislators during meetings with the Special Rapporteur, was Canada’s negative vote on the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, which was adopted at the first session of the Human Rights Council in June 2006. 28. The steps taken in Mexico to follow up the Special Rapporteur’s report on his 2003 official visit include a number of activities carried out in conjunction with OHCHR within the framework of the project on the promotion and protection of the human rights of indigenous peoples in Central America, with a special focus on Guatemala and Mexico (see A/HRC/4/32/Add.4, paras. 65-70). 29. Despite some progress, many important human rights issues referred to in the Special Rapporteur’s recommendations have yet to be addressed in Mexico. It is difficult to implement the constitutional framework on indigenous rights, not only for reasons of political will but also because of its lack of coherence and legal ambiguity. The agrarian legal and judicial system is obsolete in relation to the contemporary recognition of indigenous peoples’ rights over their land and natural 07-48664 7