The European Union's High Representative has renewed support to the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People. A statement issued by the EU Delegation to Liberia Thursday quoted High Representative Catherine Ashton as expressing the belief that the 2007 UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples is an important instrument for promoting human rights.

However, she stressed that its full implementation was key to the actual enjoyment of those rights as the EU has repeatedly called on all states to make this a reality. In the statement, High Representative Ashton emphasized the EU's long track record of promoting the human rights of indigenous people in all aspects of its work.

According to her, this includes from contacts with indigenous representatives to political dialogues and making statements at the United Nations, to giving financial support to civil society projects.

The EU High Representative and Foreign Policy Chief said the EU can always do more with respect to the Rights of Indigenous People, noting that this is why in the new EU Human Rights Strategy, the EU has committed to taking a new look at its policy and further developing it in the context of the UN Declaration and in preparation for the 2014 World Conference on Indigenous Peoples. The statement was released in observance of World Indigenous People Day on Thursday, 9 August.