A/64/271 international human rights standards contained in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and in the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. 7. Now that the outcome document of the Durban Review Conference has been adopted, the Special Rapporteur hopes that the momentum gained during the Durban Review process will retain its strength. He would like to strongly emphasize that pledges and commitments made in the outcome document be effectively implemented by all States, which retain the primary responsibility in this respect. Racism is still pervasive around the world and appropriate legislation, institutions and policies are more than ever necessary to fight against this scourge. 8. In the implementation of his mandate, the Special Rapporteur intends to use the outcome document of the Durban Review Conference as a blueprint and a theoretical framework for analysing issues relevant to his mandate during country visits, and in other regular activities. In this view, the Special Rapporteur submitted in his annual report to the Human Rights Council (ibid.) a table listing the actionoriented commitments made by States and some initial indicators to monitor performance to meet those commitments. He would like to recommend that States use similar tools in order to identify concrete measures and to establish a road map for the implementation of the outcome document of the Durban Review Conference. III. Activities of the Special Rapporteur A. Country visits 9. Country visits constitute an important opportunity for the Special Rapporteur “to gather, request, receive and exchange information and communications with all relevant sources, on all issues and alleged violations falling within the purview of his mandate, and to investigate and make concrete recommendations, to be implemented at the national, regional and international levels, with a view to preventing and eliminating all forms and manifestations of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance”, in accordance with the mandate entrusted to him by the Human Rights Council in resolution 7/34. 10. Following his appointment in August 2008, the Special Rapporteur sent formal requests to visit Bangladesh, the Plurinational State of Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Germany, India, Israel, Malaysia, Mexico, Nepal, South Africa, the Sudan and the United Arab Emirates. The Special Rapporteur would like to acknowledge the letters of invitations extended to him by the Plurinational State of Bolivia and by Bosnia and Herzegovina. While he has not been able to honour these invitations yet, the Special Rapporteur hopes that he will be able to do so in the near future. 11. In the following paragraphs, the Special Rapporteur would like to inform the General Assembly of the visit carried out by the former mandate holder to the United States of America, of his first country visit carried out to Germany, and of his upcoming visit to the United Arab Emirates. 4 09-45097