A/RES/54/179 Page 2 All Forms of Racial Discrimination,5 and the Convention on the Rights of the Child,6 as well as to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights,7 Recalling its previous resolutions on this subject, including the most recent, resolution 53/160 of 9 December 1998, taking note of Commission on Human Rights resolution 1999/56 of 27 April 1999,8 as well as Security Council resolution 1234 (1999) of 9 April 1999, and mindful of Security Council resolutions 1258 (1999) of 6 August 1999 and 1273 (1999) of 5 November 1999, Recognizing that the promotion and protection of human rights for all are essential for achieving stability and security in the region and will contribute to the creation of the necessary environment for cooperation among States in the region, Taking into account the regional dimension of the human rights issues in the Great Lakes region, while underlining the primary responsibility of States for the promotion and protection of human rights, and stressing the importance of technical cooperation with a view to strengthening regional cooperation for the promotion and protection of human rights, Bearing in mind the decision of the Commission on Human Rights to request the special rapporteurs of the Commission on the situation of human rights in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions and a member of the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances to carry out a joint mission to the Democratic Republic of the Congo,8 Noting the stated intention of the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo progressively to abolish the death penalty and, with that in view, encouraging the Government to fulfil its commitment to reform and restore the judicial system in conformity with the provisions of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, 1. Welcomes: (a) The report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Democratic Republic of the Congo;9 (b) The two visits of the Special Rapporteur to the Democratic Republic of the Congo in February and August/September 1999 at the invitation of the Government and the cooperation of the Government in this regard; 5 6 7 Resolution 2106 A (XX), annex. Resolution 44/25, annex. United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 1520, No. 26363. 8 See Official Records of the Economic and Social Council, 1999, Supplement No. 3 (E/1999/23), chap. II, sect. A. 9 See A/54/361. /...