CERD UNITED NATIONS International Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Racial Discrimination Distr. GENERAL CERD/C/64/CO/9 28 April 2004 Original: ENGLISH COMMITTEE ON THE ELIMINATION OF RACIAL DISCRIMINATION Sixty-fourth session 23 February-12 March 2004 CONSIDERATION OF REPORTS SUBMITTED BY STATES PARTIES UNDER ARTICLE 9 OF THE CONVENTION Concluding observations of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination SURINAME 1. The Committee considered the first to tenth periodic reports of Suriname, submitted as a single document (CERD/C/446/Add.1), at its 1614th and 1615th meetings (CERD/C/SR.1614 and 1615) on 23 and 24 February 2004. At its 1636th and 1637th meetings, held on 9 and 10 March 2004, it adopted the following concluding observations. A. Introduction 2. The Committee welcomes the initial report of Suriname and the opportunity that it affords for engaging in dialogue with the State party. It is pleased that the Government was represented by a high-ranking delegation, and acknowledges the oral and written responses that the delegation provided. 3. The Committee takes note with satisfaction of the efforts made by the State party to comply with its guidelines regarding the form and contents of reports, and in particular of the information provided on the ethnic composition of the population. It does, however, regret that the initial report as a whole does not contain sufficient information on the practical application of the Convention. GE.04-41087 (E) 250504