A/HRC/20/35 I. Introduction 1. In accordance with the mandate established by the Commission on Human Rights in its resolution 1995/70 and with Presidential Statement PRST/19/31, in which the Human Rights Council invited the new expert to undertake a mission to Haiti in the near future and submit a report to it, the Independent Expert submits the present report to the Council at its twentieth session. 2. The present report covers the period from March 2011 to March 2012, during which the Independent Expert undertook three missions to Haiti.1 The Independent Expert wishes to thank former President René Préval and President Michel Martelly, former Prime Minister Jean-Max Bellerive and Prime Minister Gary Conille,2 with whom he was able to meet, in some cases on numerous occasions, for the frankness and quality of their comments, and their invitations to participate in implementing a number of their projects. Similarly, he wishes to thank the members of the successive Governments and members of the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies with whom he was able to speak, notably about the ratification of international human rights instruments. 3. The Independent Expert travelled to Belladère, Gonaïves and Saint Marc, and expresses his warm thanks to the many Haitians whom he met on his missions, as well as in Paris, New York, Brussels, Washington and Geneva. The quality of the meetings and discussions is a testament to the attachment of the Haitian diaspora to their homeland, their keen sense of solidarity and their wish to participate in their own way in the reconstruction of the country. 4. The Independent Expert also met with the Special Representative of the SecretaryGeneral and Head of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH), Edmond Mulet, and later Mariano Fernández, and their deputies, Nigel Fischer and Kevin Kennedy. He wishes to thank all the members of their teams, who afforded him effective support in terms of logistics, security and public relations. He also spoke regularly by telephone with the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and several members of MINUSTAH in between missions, which allowed him to keep abreast of political, economic and security developments in Haiti. 5. The Independent Expert thanks the officials of the main institutions of the United Nations, the Organization of American States, the Caribbean Community and Common Market (CARICOM) and the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR). He also thanks the members of the diplomatic corps with whom he exchanged views on a number of occasions concerning the role and activities of the international community. 6. His particular thanks go to the ambassadors of the countries of the Group of Latin American and Caribbean States (GRULAC) and the Group of Friends of Haiti, with whom he was able to discuss and exchange views, notably in Port-au-Prince and New York, thanks to the kind services of the Ambassador of Brazil in Port-au-Prince and the Ambassador of Uruguay in New York. 7. The Independent Expert wishes to express his full gratitude once again to United Nations staff members, particularly national and international staff in the Human Rights 1 2 4 From 6 to 8 April 2011, from 28 August to 9 September 2011 and from 31 January to 8 February 2012. At the time of writing, Gary Conille had officially resigned and was handling pending questions until the official appointment of a new Prime Minister. GE.12-13208