A/HRC/10/29 285. During the review of the Bahamas, held at the third working session of the Working Group in December 2008, the Bahamas had committed to review further the recommendations contained in the report of the Working Group (A/HRC/10/70), and to report on the status of the recommendations at the plenary session of the Council. The delegation drew the Council’s attention to the document that had been submitted by the Bahamas as a formal follow-up report (A/HRC/10/70/Add.1). 286. The delegation informed the Council that, since its review in December 2008, the Bahamas had signed and ratified the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (4 December 2008) and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (23 December 2008). Both treaties would enter into force for the Bahamas on 23 March 2009. In addition, the Bahamas had, on 16 December 2008, signed the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. The Bahamas intended to ratify the Convention following the necessary review of the legislative requirements. 287. The Bahamas also highlighted the Police Amendment Act 2009, which permitted civilian oversight of the complaints process. 288. With respect to the Carmichael Road Detention Centre, the delegation stated that the Government continued to implement recommendations designed to enhance the environment and management of the facility and continued to maintain close collaboration and cooperation with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in this regard. 289. The delegation indicated that, during the review, the Bahamas expected to submit outstanding reports due under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women by 31 December 2008. It stated that the Bahamas was unfortunately unable to meet this self-imposed deadline, but that the consultative process was almost complete, paving the way for the submission of those reports in due course. The delegation also informed that the preparatory process was also under way for the report due under the Convention on the Rights of the Child. 290. The delegation reaffirmed the commitment of the Bahamas to continue to work with the human rights treaty bodies and the Council to ensure that there was constructive dialogue and to enhance the capacity of the Bahamas to carry out its reporting obligations under international human rights instruments. The delegation emphasized the recognition by the Bahamas that the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms required constant action by the Government and civil society, and that the Bahamas was committed to that task. (b) Views expressed by Member and observer States of the Council on the review outcome 291. Egypt welcomed the presence of the delegation of the Bahamas, which was testimony to the commitment of the Bahamas to the protection and promotion of human rights. On behalf of the African Group, Egypt expressed the importance that the African Group always attached to relations with the Bahamas and CARICOM at large. Egypt stressed that the fact that the Bahamas had come to Geneva twice (first to present its universal periodic review report and then to attend its adoption) showed that the Government was seriously committed to human rights and that something serious had to be done to assist countries that were not represented in Geneva in following the work of the Council. Egypt further expressed, on behalf of the African Group, its utmost support for the choices that the Bahamas had made with regard to human rights. Regarding the recommendations that the Bahamas had accepted, the African Group acknowledged the GE.09-17451 131