A/RES/59/176 8. Notes with appreciation the engagement of the Committee in the follow-up to the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action;3 9. Expresses its appreciation for the efforts made so far by the Committee to improve the efficiency of its working methods, and encourages the Committee to continue its activities in this regard; 10. Encourages the continued participation of members of the Committee in the annual inter-committee meetings and meetings of chairpersons of the human rights treaty bodies, especially with a view to a more coordinated approach to the activities of the treaty body system and standardized reporting; II Financial situation of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination 11. Takes note of the report of the Secretary-General on the financial situation of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination; 7 12. Expresses its profound concern at the fact that a number of States parties to the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination have still not fulfilled their financial obligations, as shown in the report of the Secretary-General, and strongly appeals to all States parties that are in arrears to fulfil their outstanding financial obligations under article 8, paragraph 6, of the Convention; 13. Strongly urges States parties to the Convention to accelerate their domestic ratification procedures with regard to the amendment to the Convention concerning the financing of the Committee and to notify the Secretary-General expeditiously in writing of their agreement to the amendment, as decided upon at the Fourteenth Meeting of States Parties to the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination on 15 January 1992,4 endorsed by the General Assembly in its resolution 47/111 and further reiterated at the Sixteenth Meeting of States Parties on 16 January 1996; 14. Requests the Secretary-General to continue to ensure adequate financial arrangements and to provide the necessary support, including an adequate level of Secretariat assistance, in order to ensure the functioning of the Committee and to enable it to cope with its increasing amount of work; 15. Also requests the Secretary-General to invite those States parties to the Convention that are in arrears to pay the amounts in arrears, and to report thereon to the General Assembly at its sixty-first session; III Status of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination 16. Takes note of the report of the Secretary-General on the status of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination; 8 _______________ 7 8 A/59/276. A/59/275. 3