A/HRC/45/50 I. Introduction 1. Taking note of the observation by the team of international experts in its previous report that the current lull in the violence in Kasai is fragile, ethnic tensions remain high and the situation must still be monitored closely, (A/HRC/41/31, paras. 19 and 72), the Human Rights Council, in its resolution 41/26 of 12 July 2019, renewed the mandate of the team of international experts, tasking it with observing, assessing and assisting the efforts of the Democratic Republic of the Congo in implementing the recommendations contained in the report of the previous team of international experts and instructing it to submit a final report to the Council at its forty-fifth session. 2. In order to facilitate its performance of this mandate, the Human Rights Council requested the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to provide, at the request of the authorities, technical assistance, including the necessary forensic expertise, to the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo in order to support the judicial authorities in their investigations into allegations of human rights violations and abuses in the Kasai region and other regions of the country, with a view to bringing those responsible to justice. 3. The international experts, Bacre Waly Ndiaye, of Senegal, as Chair of the team, and Sheila B. Keetharuth, of Mauritius, as a team member, were appointed for this purpose by the Human Rights Council. In carrying out its mandate, the team of international experts was supported by a secretariat based in Kananga, composed of three international members and one national member. The team of international experts proceeded to draw up its workplan and to plan its field visits. Of the six planned visits, the team carried out only two: from 7 to 16 November 2019 and from 12 to 28 January 2020. The team of international experts was unable to implement its workplan as foreseen owing to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. 4. However, on 17 June 2020, both international experts took part in the Human Rights Council’s interactive dialogue on the Democratic Republic of the Congo, participating by videoconference from their respective countries because of the COVID-19 restrictions in force during the Council’s forty-third session. At that time, they reported on the progress of their work and shared some preliminary findings. 5. The present report, submitted to the Human Rights Council at its forty-fifth session, contains the conclusions and recommendations of the team of international experts. II. Mandate 6. To carry out its new mandate, the team of international experts adopted a threepronged approach, namely: (a) monitoring judicial cases in the context of the fight against impunity; (b) monitoring the reconciliation, transitional justice and reparation process; and (c) providing institutional support for the State bodies responsible for implementing recommendations. 7. This mandate has been taken up not only in a context where the World Bank and several international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are launching humanitarian and development projects in the Kasai region, but also in a period of transition, where the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) is gradually arranging for its withdrawal from the country. In view of the presence of multiple actors in the Kasai region, it goes without saying that the mandate of the team of international experts will have added value only if it is seen as a catalyst and guide for the social and judicial policies undertaken in the region. Thus, during each of the visits of the team of international experts, meetings with the country’s highest authorities play a decisive role in facilitating and accelerating the implementation of activities on the ground. Indeed, in addition to the activities carried out by MONUSCO and the United Nations Joint Human Rights Office, each visit to the Democratic Republic of the Congo by the team of international experts is an opportunity to assess the Government’s efforts to prosecute the perpetrators of serious crimes committed during the crisis linked to the Kamuina Nsapu militia in the Kasai region and also to question the Government on obstacles observed in the fight against impunity and the promotion of reconciliation and social reintegration, transitional justice and reparations. GE.20-11095 3