A/HRC/10/13 page 4 the fact that almost every principle is underpinned by the content of and interrelationships between numerous treaty and customary legal provisions. In this regard, most principles do not exceed existing binding law; rather, they serve to restate these existing norms more precisely in the specific context of internal displacement. 5. The Guiding Principles have become widely accepted at the international, regional and State levels. At the global level, the Heads of State and Government assembled in New York for the 2005 World Summit unanimously recognized the Guiding Principles as an “important international framework for the protection of internally displaced persons”, a recognition subsequently echoed by the Human Rights Council and the General Assembly.5 In addition, the General Assembly has welcomed “the fact that an increasing number of States, United Nations agencies and regional and non-governmental organizations are applying them as a standard”, and has encouraged “all relevant actors to make use of the Guiding Principles when dealing with situations of internal displacement”.6 6. During a high-level conference entitled “Ten Years of Guiding Principles”, hosted by the Government of Norway in Oslo from 16-17 October 2008, participants from Governments, international humanitarian agencies, regional organizations and civil society stressed the authoritative character and operational utility of the Guiding Principles. In his own address to the conference, the Representative emphasized that they have become the normative reference point for all actors dealing with internal displacement. However, he also stressed that standing alone, they are not sufficient to resolve internal displacement: at the national level, they must be translated and incorporated into a strong normative and institutional framework. While many Governments have begun to do so, many as well have yet to develop the political will and capacity to implement the Guiding Principles in their national laws, policies and programmes.7 7. At the regional level, Africa has shown the most progress in transforming the Guiding Principles into binding international instruments. In June 2008, the Protocol on the Protection and Assistance to Internally Displaced Persons to the Declaration on Peace, Security, Democracy and Development in the Great Lakes Region (the Great Lakes Protocol on internal displacement) entered into force. The Protocol, which at the end of 2008 had been ratified by 8 out of the 11 States participating in the Great Lakes process, is the first and only binding multilateral treaty on IDPs now in force.8 Among other things, States parties to the Protocol undertake to adopt and 5 General Assembly resolution 60/1, para. 132; Human Rights Council resolution 6/32, para. 5; General Assembly resolution 62/153, para. 10. 6 General Assembly resolution 62/153, para. 10. 7 Full text of the Representative’s speech and the Chair’s summary of the conference and its outcomes are available at: http://www.internal-displacement.org/gp10. See also the addendum to this report, A/HRC/10/13/Add.3. 8 Burundi, Central African Republic, Republic of Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda are States parties to the Declaration and its Protocols. Angola, Sudan and Zambia have signed but not yet ratified the Declaration and its Protocols.