Human Rights Council

Sixt y-first session

23 February–31 March 2026

Agenda item 3

Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, including the right to development

Resolution adopted by the Human Rights Councilon 30 March 2026

6 1 / 11. Mandate of Independent Expert on the effects of foreign debt and other related international financial obligations of States on the full enjoyment of all human rights, particularly economic, social and cultural rights

The Human Rights Council,

Guided by the Charter of the United Nations, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action and other relevant international human rights instruments,

Reaffirming all resolutions and decisions adopted by the Commission on Human Rights and the Human Rights Council on the effects of foreign debt and other related international financial obligations on the full enjoyment of all human rights, particularly economic, social and cultural rights, the latest being Council resolution 58/12 of 3 April 2025, and all other relevant resolutions,

Recalling Human Rights Council resolutions 5/1, on institution-building of the Council, and 5/2, on the Code of Conduct for Special Procedure Mandate Holders of the Council, of 18 June 2007, and stressing that all mandate holders shall discharge their duties in accordance with those resolutions and the annexes thereto,

Stressing that one of the purposes of the United Nations is to achieve international cooperation in solving international problems of an economic, social, cultural or humanitarian character,

Affirming that debt burden further complicates the numerous problems facing developingcountries,contributestoextremepovertyandisanobstacletosustainablehuman development, and is thus a serious impediment to the realization of all human rights,

Expresses its appreciation for the work and contributions of the Independent Expert on the effects of foreign debt and other related international financial obligations of States on the full enjoyment of all human rights, particularly economic, social and cultural rights;

DecidestoextendthemandateofIndependentExpertontheeffectsofforeign debt and other related international financial obligations of States on the full enjoyment of allhumanrights,particularlyeconomic, social and cultural rights, for a period of three years, in accordance with the mandate established by the Human Rights Council in its resolution 7/4 of 27 March 2008;

Encourages the Independent Expert to cooperate, in accordance with the mandate,withtheCommitteeonEconomic,SocialandCulturalRights,specialrapporteurs, independentexpertsandmembersoftheexpertworkinggroupsoftheHumanRightsCouncil anditsAdvisoryCommitteeonissuesrelatingtoeconomic,socialandculturalrightsandthe right to development;

Requests the Independent Expert to report annually on the implementation of the mandate to the Human Rights Council and the General Assembly, in accordance with their respective programmes of work;

R equests the Secretary-General and the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to continue to provide the Independent Expert with all the necessary assistance, in particular all the human and financial resources required for the effective fulfilment of the mandate;

Urges Governments, international organizations, international and regional financial institutions, non-governmental organizations and the private sector to cooperate fully with the Independent Expert in the discharge of the mandate;

Decides to continue its consideration of this matter under the same agenda item, in accordance with its programme of work.

52nd meeting

30 March 2026

[Adopted by a recorded vote of 29to 10, with 8 abstentions. The voting was as follows:

In favour:

Angola, Benin, Brazil, Burundi, Chile, China, Colombia, Côte d’Ivoire, Cuba, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Dominican Republic, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Kenya, Kuwait, Malawi, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Mexico, Pakistan, Qatar, South Africa, Thailand, Viet Nam

Against:

Albania, Czechia, Estonia, France, Japan, Netherlands (Kingdom of the), North Macedonia, Republic of Korea, Switzerland, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

Abstaining:

Bolivia (Plurinational State of), Bulgaria, Cyprus, Ecuador, Iceland, Italy, Slovenia, Spain]