A/HRC/16/3 Introduction 1. The Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review, established in accordance with Human Rights Council resolution 5/1, held its ninth session from 1 to 12 November 2010. The review of Liberia was held at the 1st meeting, on 1 November 2010. The delegation of Liberia was headed by Counsellor Christiana Tah, Honorable Minister of Justice and Attorney General. At its 5th meeting, held on 3 November 2010, the Working Group adopted the report on Liberia. 2. On 21 June 2010, the Human Rights Council selected the following group of rapporteurs (troika) to facilitate the review of Liberia: the Republic of Korea, Spain and the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya. 3. In accordance with paragraph 15 of the annex to resolution 5/1, the following documents were issued for the review of Liberia: (a) A national report submitted/written presentation made in accordance with paragraph 15 (a) (A/HRC/WG.6/9/LBR/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.6/9/LBR/2); (c) A summary prepared by OHCHR in accordance with paragraph 15 (c) (A/HRC/WG.6/9/LBR/3). 4. A list of questions prepared in advance by the Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Latvia, the Netherlands, Norway, Slovenia, Sweden and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was transmitted to Liberia through the troika. Those questions are available on the extranet of the universal periodic review. I. Summary of the proceedings of the review process 5. During the interactive dialogue, statements were made by 40 delegations. A number of delegations commended Liberia for its national report and presentation, noted the consultation process with stakeholders in the preparation of the national report, and thanked the country for its answers to questions raised. Recommendations made during the interactive dialogue are listed in Chapter II of the present report. A. Presentation by the State under review 6. The delegation stated that the Republic of Liberia appreciated the important roles played by the international community and civil society groups in peace-building. As a matter of national policy, the country was taking all possible measures to include civil society groups in all policy discussions, especially on issues with human rights implications. During the process of drafting its national report for the universal periodic review, Liberia had widely engaged a number of civil society groups. 7. The delegation outlined the historical facts that had created the persistent perception of social, political and economic gaps between the groups commonly referred to as “Americo-Liberian” (also known as “Congo people”) and “natives”. It asserted that, at present, allegations of discrimination based on those distinctions should be understood as a manifestation of socio-economic inequalities and not solely as discrimination based on ethnicity and/or religion. 3