A/HRC/45/29 lockdown had increased the work of human rights mechanisms, which needed to find creative ways to deliver on their mandates, with a view to bettering the human rights situation of people around the world. Since the lockdown had begun, the Human Rights Council had organized two informal conversations, one with the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and one with the special procedure mandate holders, and on 29 May 2020 had adopted a President’s statement on the human rights implications of the COVID-19 pandemic, for the first time by way of a silence procedure. She deplored the issues of systemic racism and police violence, which had been highlighted by the outrageous murder of George Floyd. She concluded by stressing the importance of the work of the Expert Mechanism and by expressing her trust in its future endeavours. 8. The Chief of the Development and Economic and Social Issues Branch of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) addressed the Expert Mechanism on behalf of the OHCHR. He explained that OHCHR had a specific work programme and section dealing with the right to development. It was necessary to move beyond rhetoric and ideological debates to concrete analysis and identification of practical solutions. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, the international community was struggling to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and the social and economic impact of the pandemic would further derail efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. While the impact would be felt in all countries, most developing countries, in particular, did not have sufficient financial resources to mitigate the consequences of the economic recession. In conclusion, he stressed the need to devise an efficient development model that addressed at least the most burning issues, including increasing inequalities, unemployment – youth unemployment in particular – and climaterelated, environmental and biodiversity disasters. C. Election of officers 9. The Chief of the Right to Development Section of OHCHR conducted the election process. The Expert Mechanism agreed to have one chair, who would also be the rapporteur of the annual report, one vice-chair and rapporteurs for the thematic studies. The vice-chair would automatically become the next chair, and rotation would occur every six months. The members elected by acclamation Mr. Ibhawoh as Chair and Ms. Mahmutaj as ViceChair for the first six-month period, to be followed by Mr. De Feyter, Mr. De Negri Filho and Mr. Kanade. D. Adoption of the agenda and programme of work 10. The Chair introduced the provisional agenda and draft programme of work of the first session of the Expert Mechanism, which it adopted by consensus. III. Summary of proceedings 11. Following its establishment, the Expert Mechanism held a series of meetings in order to make progress in the implementation of its mandate. 12. The Expert Mechanism exchanged views with the Special Rapporteur on the right to development. The Special Rapporteur informed the Expert Mechanism about the work that he had undertaken so far and the plans for the near future. He welcomed the establishment of the Expert Mechanism and the possibility for effective cooperation in the spirit of complementarity and of mutually reinforcing capacities and expertise. The Expert Mechanism shared the view that it was important to cooperate closely in the selection of topics for study, in sharing information and in joint efforts to promote the realization of the right to development. The Expert Mechanism attempted to reach the Chair-Rapporteur of the Working Group on the Right to Development, but failed owing to technical difficulties in virtual communication. 13. The Expert Mechanism discussed extensively the terms of its mandate, with a view to arriving at a shared understanding of what the Council had requested from the Expert 3