A/HRC/45/13 IV. Observations 41. The Working Group welcomes the ratification of the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance by Dominica, Fiji, Norway and Oman in 2019 and 2020. The Working Group further welcomes the nomination of members of the National Commission for Missing and Forcibly Disappeared Persons in Lebanon, which was established pursuant to Law No. 105, of 2018, on Missing and Forcibly Disappeared Persons. The Working Group expresses the hope that the Commission will be able to receive adequate resources to perform its mandate. The Working Group also welcomes a decision on the composition of the Commission on Missing Persons, agreed on by the Ukrainian Cabinet of Ministers, which is expected to ensure the effective functioning of the body in coordination with relatives of the disappeared. The Working Group also welcomes the work undertaken by the National Search Commission in Mexico, including the thorough consultation process that it has spearheaded to finalize a search protocol that recognizes and benefits from the experience and knowledge of relatives and civil society organizations, and includes their proposals for best practices. 42. The Working Group is concerned by the impact of the COVID-19 situation on enforced disappearances. It has observed that, despite the pandemic, enforced disappearances have continued in many countries. Additionally, search and investigation into disappearances has become increasingly difficult given the restrictions in place and in some cases has been suspended. The Working Group emphasizes that enforced disappearances remain prohibited in all situations and that search and investigation into cases cannot be postponed. The Working Group also received reports of disappearances in new contexts, notably during compulsory quarantine. Additionally, the Working Group is concerned by reports that in some countries, the bodies of persons who have died of COVID-19 have not been properly registered and families have been unable to identify the remains before burial. While saluting the resilience of many families of disappeared persons, the Working Group also emphasizes that they may be in a particularly precarious position and should be supported. 43. The Working Group remains concerned by the lack of engagement and cooperation from a number of countries. For instance, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea continues to send standard replies without substantive information on the cases transmitted. 44. The Working Group also regrets that the following States, which have cases under the humanitarian procedure that are still outstanding, have not replied in regard to any cases during the reporting period (23 May 2019 to 15 May 2020), despite receiving a reminder: Albania (1 case), Algeria (3,253 cases), Argentina (3,065 cases), Bangladesh (70 cases), Plurinational State of Bolivia (23 cases), Brazil (13 cases), Burundi (238 cases), Cambodia (1 case), Cameroon (16 cases), Central African Republic (3 cases), Chad (23 cases), Chile (785 cases), Congo (89 cases), Democratic Republic of the Congo (48 cases), Dominican Republic (2 cases), Equatorial Guinea (8 cases), Eritrea (63 cases), Ethiopia (113 cases), France (1 case), Gambia (13 cases), Greece (1 case), Guatemala (2,897 cases), Guinea (37 cases), Guyana (1 case), Haiti (38 cases), Honduras (130 cases), India (426 cases), Indonesia (164 cases), Iraq (16,423 cases), Israel (3 cases), Kenya (88 cases), Kuwait (1 case), Lao People’s Democratic Republic (2 cases), Lebanon (315 cases), Mauritania (6 cases), Mexico (357 cases), Mozambique (3 cases), Myanmar (3 cases), Namibia (2 cases), Nepal (479 cases), Nicaragua (103 cases), Nigeria (7 cases), Oman (1 case), Peru (2,361 cases), Rwanda (25 cases), Seychelles (3 cases), Somalia (1 case), South Africa (2 cases), South Sudan (3 cases), Sri Lanka (6,117 cases), Sudan (177 cases), Syrian Arab Republic (485 cases), Thailand (75 cases), Timor-Leste (428 cases), Togo (10 cases), Tunisia (13 cases), Uganda (15 cases), United States of America (4 cases), Uruguay (20 cases), Yemen (26 cases) and Zimbabwe (5 cases); and State of Palestine (4 cases). The Working Group recalls that investigations into cases of enforced disappearance should continue until the fate or whereabouts of the individual or individuals concerned is established, and that, under the humanitarian procedure, the Working Group requests to be updated on the investigations being undertaken and the results. The Working Group encourages the States listed to provide updates on the outstanding cases. 15