HRC63 - EU Statement - Item 10 General debate on Technical assistance and capacity-building
European Union
UNITED NATIONS HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL
63rd Session
(7 September – 7 October 2026)
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Item 10
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Statement by
H.E. Mr. Michele Cervone d’Urso
Ambassador, Deputy Permanent Representative of the European Union
Geneva, 2 October 2026
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HRC63 session - Item 10 General debate on Technical assistance and capacity-building
EU Statement
Mr President,
I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union.
Albania, Liechtenstein, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Ukraine align themselves with this statement.
The EU thanks the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights for the reports under Item 10. Technical assistance and capacity building are critical for human rights implementation across the world. The EU and its Member States support a wide range of technical assistance and capacity building initiatives on the ground, including those implemented by the OHCHR. We strongly support the Office’s work and urge all States to cooperate with the Office to benefit from their expertise, and grant it with unrestricted access.
The EU welcomes Georgia’s cooperation with the OHCHR and its commitment to engage with UN human rights mechanisms and underscores the urgent need for Georgia to implement the recommendations outlined in the reports by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on Cooperation with Georgia. As we have expressed under Item 2, the EU remains deeply concerned about the deteriorating human rights situation and encourages Georgia to address these issues.
The EU reaffirms our strong support for Georgia’s territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders. We are alarmed by the deteriorating human rights and humanitarian situation in the occupied breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, and regret the continued lack of access of the OHCHR and the UN human rights mechanisms to these regions. We reiterate our call for the scope of the reporting mandate of the High Commission to cover the whole country.
The EU urges Libya to continue its constructive engagement with EU and UN actors on human rights matters and invites authorities to expand cooperation with OHCHR. Grave concerns remain about human rights violations against migrants including collective expulsions, mass arrests, racial discrimination, the use of unofficial detention facilities across the country and disregard for international humanitarian law. The EU calls on Libyan authorities to improve humanitarian conditions in detention centers and to ensure that those responsible for violations are held accountable. We welcome the access granted to UN personnel to Mitiga prison and other detention centers and call on authorities to grant full and unhindered access to all facilities throughout the country. Strengthening the accountability and criminal justice architecture in Libya remains key – in this regard we commend the decision to accept the ICC’s jurisdiction until 2027.
The EU notes with concern the intimidation campaigns against UNCHR and IOM, as well as the violent attacks on their premises in Tripoli in recent months, and the escalation of online hate speech and incitement to violence against refugees, migrants, and humanitarian workers. The EU welcomes the stance taken by the Government of National Unity (GNU) against these attacks and encourages Libyan authorities to hold those responsible accountable, ensure the security and protection of international organizations and their persons, and expand cooperation with all concerned UN entities, as well as OHCHR, in order to ensure a safe environment for humanitarian workers..
The EU also notes with concern the limitations to civic space through legal and administrative measures, surveillance and intimidation, gender-based violence, due process violations, use of arbitrary detention, inhumane detention conditions and enforced disappearances, as well as widespread impunity. It invites authorities to strengthen awareness on Human Rights obligations of security actors, including border and coast guards. In this context, it underlines the need to continue pursuing meaningful investigation of serious crimes in line with international norms and standards. The EU encourages Libyan authorities to continue engaging in follow-up activities to the UPR recommendations, in cooperation with civil society organizations, including in the context of the Missing Persons Project.
At least 30 individuals have been executed in eastern Libya in recent weeks. The EU calls on authorities to immediately suspend further executions and reinstate a Moratorium against the death penalty.
Regarding Yemen, the EU strongly condemns ongoing human rights violations and abuses, particularly given the alarming situation in Houthi-controlled areas. These include restrictions on the rights of women and girls, the targeting of civil society actors, journalists, and human rights defenders, violence against migrants, and the continuing enforced disappearance of journalists and media workers. We are appalled by the continued arbitrary detention of United Nations and NGO staff by the Houthis, many held incommunicado, and call for their immediate and unconditional release. Their reported treatment — prolonged deprivation of food, water and medical care, solitary confinement, forced confessions and physical violence — constitutes a deliberate pattern amounting to torture under international law. The EU firmly opposes the death penalty and insists that detainees must not be tried in special courts where they risk capital punishment. The EU also calls on all parties to the conflict to release those arbitrarily detained, who have been held in undisclosed locations for years. The EU remains deeply concerned about increasing restrictions on humanitarian access, especially those affecting female aid workers, and calls for the removal of all administrative and bureaucratic obstacles to ensure safe, non-discriminatory aid delivery across the country.
In government-controlled areas, the EU is concerned by the limited access to basic services and unpaid public salaries, which compound the ongoing humanitarian crisis. The EU will continue supporting the Government of Yemen in implementing much needed administrative, economic and technical reforms. The EU continues to support capacity-building of the National Commission of Inquiry. The EU will also support the adoption by the Government of Yemen of a National Human Rights Plan, which would constitute a welcome development.
As the crisis in Yemen continues to worsen, this Council must pay more attention to the situation in the country. The Council should be mandated to discuss the deteriorating situation on the ground on the basis of an independent report by the Office.
With regard to the situations in Haiti, Central African Republic, the Marshall Islands, Somalia, Cambodia, Ukraine and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, we would like to refer to our statements during the respective interactive dialogues.
Thank you.