A/HRC/18/40 I. Introduction 1. In its resolution 11/10, the Human Rights Council decided to establish the mandate of the independent expert on the situation of human rights in the Sudan. It also decided that the independent expert would assume the mandate and responsibilities of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Sudan, as previously set out in Council resolutions 6/34, 6/35, 7/16 and 9/17. In its resolution 15/27, the Council extended the mandate of the independent expert for a period of one year and requested him to report to the Council at its eighteenth session. 2. The present report covers the period from 1 September 2010 to 30 June 2011. In compliance with the code of conduct for special procedures mandate holders of the Human Rights Council,1 a draft of the report has been shared with the Government of the Sudan and the Government of South Sudan in order to provide them with an opportunity to comment on the observations and findings of the independent expert. 3. The present report is based on information made available to the independent expert during his visits to the Sudan, from 6 to 13 March 2011, and from 31 May to 8 June 2011, as well as from information provided by the Government of the Sudan, the United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS), the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID) and other sources, including United Nations agencies, funds and programmes with operational competence in the Sudan. 4. The independent expert wishes to thank the Government of the Sudan and the Government of South Sudan, UNMIS, UNAMID, the United Nations agencies in the Sudan, the diplomatic corps and members of civil society organizations for their cooperation and invaluable assistance. 1 Human Rights Council resolution 5/2, annex. 3