A/HRC/12/6 page 3 Introduction 1. The Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review (UPR), established in accordance with Human Rights Council resolution 5/1 of 18 June 2007, held its fifth session from 4 to 15 May 2009. The review of the Congo was held at the 5th meeting, on 6 May 2009. The delegation of Congo was headed by Mr. Jean-Martin Mbemba, State Minister for Civil Service and State Reform. At its 9th meeting, held on 8 May 2009, the Working Group adopted the present report on the Congo. 2. On 8 September 2008, the Human Rights Council selected the following group of rapporteurs (troika) to facilitate the review of the Congo: Bahrain, the Netherlands and Madagascar. 3. In accordance with paragraph 15 of the annex to resolution 5/1, the following documents were issued for the review of the Congo: (a) A national report submitted in accordance with paragraph 15 (a) (A/HRC/WG.6/5/COG/1); (b) A compilation prepared by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in accordance with paragraph 15 (b) (A/HRC/WG.6/5/COG/2 and Corr.1); (c) A summary prepared by OHCHR in accordance with paragraph 15 (c) (A/HRC/WG.6/5/COG/3). 4. A list of questions prepared in advance by the Czech Republic, Sweden, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Argentina, Denmark and Latvia was transmitted to the Congo through the troika. These questions are available on the extranet of the UPR. I. SUMMARY OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE REVIEW PROCESS A. Presentation by the State under review 5. At the 5th meeting, held on 6 May 2009, the head of the Congolese delegation, Mr. Jean Martin Mbemba, State Minister for Civil Service and State Reform, commended the progress made by the Human Rights Council in the three years it had existed and said that the Congo was submitting itself to the universal review in a genuine spirit of openness. He went on to thank the members of the Human Rights Council for their interest in the human rights situation in the Congo. The national report had been drawn up in compliance with the general guidelines contained in Human Rights Council decision 6/102, following consultation and compilation of data with the involvement of government institutions, civil society organizations and human rights organizations. 6. Since its independence, the Congo had acceded to many international human rights instruments, and had taken a number of measures to ensure respect for the basic principles of