A/HRC/38/40 I. Introduction 1. In the present report, presented pursuant to Human Rights Council resolution 35/3, the Independent Expert on human rights and international solidarity, Obiora Chinedu Okafor, summarizes the work undertaken by his predecessors, outlines his activities since his appointment, sets out his objectives and his work plan, and discusses his possible thematic priorities. 2. The report is structured into eight sections. After a short introduction, a brief contextual background on the mandate is offered, followed by a short discussion on the nature of the mandate. The work undertaken by the previous mandate holders is described in section III. The activities of the current mandate holder since the last reporting cycle are described in section IV. The Independent Expert’s goals and objectives for the mandate are outlined in section V. The methods of work that the Independent Expert intends to employ in the discharge of his mandate are presented in section VI. Possible thematic priorities that the Independent Expert may address during the term of his mandate are identified in section VII. Finally, some concluding remarks are offered in section VIII, including on the necessity for continued stakeholder cooperation with the mandate. 3. The Independent Expert would like to express his profound gratitude to the previous mandate holders for the extensive work undertaken since the establishment of the mandate in 2005. His vision for the mandate flows from, and builds on, the commendable work done by his predecessors. 4. While stressing that the processes of promoting and protecting human rights should be in conformity with the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, the Human Rights Council, in establishing the mandate of the Independent Expert, also recognized that inadequate attention has thus far been paid to the importance of international solidarity to the fuller realization of human rights, including the right to development and economic, social and cultural rights, as well as to its centrality to the effective implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. 1 The Independent Expert views the provision of advice to the Human Rights Council on the ways and means of markedly reducing this attention deficit as one of a number of key aspects of his mandate — especially in relation to issues such as climate change mitigation and adaptation, the just and effective management of migration and refugee flows, the reduction or even elimination of the very well-known ills associated with illicit financial flows and tax havens, and a number of other shared global challenges described in more detail in the present report. 5. In discharging his mandate, the Independent Expert recognizes the need to take into account the views of (international) non-State actors and stakeholders, as key drivers of the effort to promote and protect human rights and as intermediaries for rights holders around the world. This recognition is reflected in his vision for the mandate and his proposed thematic priorities. II. Background information on the mandate 6. The mandate of the Independent Expert on human rights and international solidarity was created in 2005 by the Commission on Human Rights, via its resolution 2005/55, for a period of three years. In 2008, the mandate was extended by the successor to the Commission, the Human Rights Council, via its resolution 7/5, also for a three-year period. In 2011, the Council extended the mandate for a further three-year period via its resolution 17/6. A similar three-year extension was mandated by the Council in 2014, via its resolution 26/6. In 2017, the Council passed resolution 35/3, which reaffirmed all its previous resolutions regarding the mandate. It was on the basis of this last resolution that the current mandate holder was appointed. 1 Human Rights Council resolution 35/3. 3