A/71/44 I. Organizational and other matters A. States parties to the Convention 1. As at 13 May 2016, the closing date of the fifty-seventh session of the Committee against Torture, there were 159 States parties to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. The Convention was adopted by the General Assembly in its resolution 39/46 and entered into force on 26 June 1987. 2. Since the previous report, Fiji ratified the Convention on 14 March 2016. San Marino made a declaration recognizing the competence of the Committee under articles 21 and 22 of the Convention. The Committee calls upon all States that have not ratified the Convention to do so, and calls upon those that are already a party to accept all the procedures of the Convention, in order to enable the Committee to fulfil all aspects of its mandate. 3. All information on the status of the treaty, including declarations under articles 20, 21 and 22 and reservations and objections made by States parties with respect to the Convention, can be found at http://treaties.un.org. B. Sessions and agendas of the Committee 4. The Committee has held three sessions since the adoption of its previous annual report. The fifty-fifth session (1328th to 1355th meetings) was held from 27 July to 14 August 2015, the fifty-sixth session (1356th to 1393rd meetings) from 9 November to 9 December 2015, and the fifty-seventh session (1394th to 1431st meetings) from 18 April to 13 May 2016. Sessions were held at the United Nations Office at Geneva. 5. At its 1328th meeting, held on 27 July 2015, the Committee adopted the items listed in the provisional agenda submitted by the Secretary-General (CAT/C/55/1) as the agenda of its fifty-fifth session. 6. At its 1356th meeting, on 9 November 2015, the Committee adopted the items listed in the provisional agenda submitted by the Secretary-General (CAT/C/56/1) as the agenda of its fifty-sixth session. 7. At its 1394th meeting, on 18 April 2016, the Committee adopted the items listed in the provisional agenda submitted by the Secretary-General (CAT/C/57/1) as the agenda of its fifty-seventh session. 8. An account of the deliberations and decisions of the Committee at those three sessions is contained in the relevant summary records (CAT/C/SR.1328-1431) and document CAT/C/56/4. C. Membership, officers and mandates 9. Following the fifteenth meeting of States parties to the Convention, held on 8 October 2015, the membership of the Committee changed as of 1 January 2016. The lists of members, officers and mandates from 16 May 2015 to 31 December 2015 are contained in the annex to the present document. At its fifty-fifth session, the Committee decided to create the role of focal point, mandated to liaise with the United Nations Special Adviser of the Secretary-General on the Prevention of Genocide, Adama Dieng, and appointed Felice Gaer to that role. GE.16-13567 1