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approaches to facilitate the implementation of the goals of the United Nations
Millennium Declaration 5 and the United Nations development agenda at the local
level among indigenous peoples in all regions.
74. The Permanent Forum requests that the Special Representative of the
Secretary-General on the issue of human rights and transnational corporations and
other business enterprises and the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human
rights and fundamental freedoms of indigenous peoples identify the actions of
transnational corporations that may breach the inherent rights detailed in the United
Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and further invites them to
present a report to the Forum at its eighth session, in 2009.
75. The Permanent Forum recommends that the Pacific Islands Forum create a
mechanism for contributions by and participation of indigenous peoples’
representatives in its meetings and related structures and activities.
Environment
76. The Permanent Forum invites the United Nations Educational, Scientific and
Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and relevant States of the Congo Basin to provide
at the eighth session of the Forum, in 2009, specific information on the biosphere
reserves project and how they will incorporate the indigenous peoples of the Congo
Basin and their respective associations into the implementation of the project.
77. The Permanent Forum urges relevant States of the Congo Basin region and the
World Bank to enforce, expand and respect the moratorium on the new forest
concessions in order to allow time to strengthen the capacities of indigenous peoples
and civil society in the Congo Basin region, as well as local administration on new
forest concessions, and to allow a participative zoning process in order to define and
respect the areas that belong to the indigenous peoples for the preservation and
sustainable management of the forests.
78. The Permanent Forum recommends the coordination, without financial
obligations, of an expert group meeting on water to initiate a close review and
assessment of water allocation, regulation and access policies that affect the rights
and health of indigenous peoples and of future generations. That expert group
meeting on water can explore and establish indicators of water well-being for
indigenous nations and the world community, particularly in the light of increasing
negative water impacts owed to climate change.
79. The Permanent Forum decides to extend the appointment as Special
Rapporteur of Michael Dodson, a member of the Forum, to prepare a paper on the
relevant principles contained in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of
Indigenous Peoples, taking into account the provisions of ILO Conventions No. 169
and No. 107 that relate to indigenous land tenure and management arrangements, to
assist indigenous peoples, States and United Nations agencies in negotiating
indigenous land tenure and management arrangements and to present the paper at
the eighth session of the Forum, in 2009.
80. The Permanent Forum applauds the effective participation mechanisms for
indigenous peoples in such mechanisms as the Convention on Biological Diversity
Working Group on article 8 (j) and related provisions, and recommends that, in
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General Assembly resolution 55/2.
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