A global call for concrete action for the elimination of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance and the comprehensive implementation of and follow-up to the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action A/RES/78/234 2. Calls upon States that have not done so to accede to and/or ratify the Convention, and States parties to consider making the declaration under article 14 of the Convention; 3. Calls upon all States that have not yet done so, and consistent with paragraph 75 of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action, to consider withdrawing their reservations to article 4 of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination; 4. Underlines, in the above context, that the provisions of the Convention do not respond effectively to contemporary manifestations of racial d iscrimination, in particular in relation to xenophobia and related intolerance, which is recognized as the rationale behind the convening of the World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance in 2001; 5. Takes note of the acknowledgement by the Human Rights Council and its subsidiary structures of the existence of both procedural and substantive gaps in the Convention, which must be filled as a matter of urgency, necessity and priority; 6. Expresses its concern at the lack of progress in the elaboration of complementary standards to the Convention to fill existing gaps through the development of new normative standards aimed at combating all forms of contemporary and resurgent scourges of racism; 7. Recalls Human Rights Council resolution 34/36 of 24 March 2017, 12 in which the Council requested the Chair-Rapporteur of the Ad Hoc Committee on the Elaboration of Complementary Standards to the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination to ensure the commencement of the negotiations on the draft additional protocol to the Convention criminalizing acts of a racist and xenophobic nature during the tenth session of the Ad Hoc Committee, and takes note of the report of the thirteenth session of the Committee in this regard; 8. Requests the Chair-Rapporteur of the Ad Hoc Committee on the Elaboration of Complementary Standards to present a progress report to the General Assembly at its seventy-ninth session; II International Decade for People of African Descent 9. Recalls the proclamation of the International Decade for People of African Descent, as contained in its resolution 68/237 of 23 December 2013, and the celebratory launch of the Decade on 10 December 2014; 10. Also recalls the programme of activities for the implementation of the International Decade for People of African Descent, as adopted in its resolution 69/16 of 18 November 2014; 11. Welcomes the establishment of the Permanent Forum on People of African Descent, through its resolution 75/314 of 2 August 2021, which determines its mandate and composition, as a consultative mechanism for people of African descent and other relevant stakeholders and as a platform for improving the safety and quality of life and livelihoods of people of African descent, as well as an advis ory body to the Human Rights Council; __________________ 12 23-26238 See Official Records of the General Assembly, Seventy-second Session, Supplement No. 53 (A/72/53), chap. IV, sect. A. 5/11