A/70/275 11. During his visit to Iceland, the Independent Expert paid close attention to how the banking crisis had affected the right to work, social security, housing, health and education and particular social groups. In his report, 3 he concluded that while Iceland had managed the crisis better than many other countries, and had responded overwhelmingly in compliance with its international obligations, there are certain gaps that should be addressed. He recommended that the legal and institutional framework of Iceland be further strengthened in order to prevent a recurrence of a similar crisis and that attention be paid to certain vulnerable groups, such as highly indebted individuals, people living in rented housing, migrants and children living in single-parent households. 12. In the context of his visit to Iceland, the Independent Expert also identified several good practices that States facing a financial crisis can adopt in order to prevent or reduce negative human rights impacts in the context of economic adjustment programmes. He concluded that international organizations and other countries could learn from the particular path chosen by Iceland, which included the protection of its core social welfare system, efforts to ensure citizen participation in the decision-making process and establishing political, administrative and judicial accountability. 13. This visit contributed to one of the six thematic priorities outlined by the Independent Expert in his previous report to the General Assembly, 4 which included identifying good practices regarding how States could avoid negative human rights impacts in the context of debt crises and economic adjustment programmes. While Iceland still faces several challenges in fully overcoming the legacy of the 2008 banking collapse, it is the view of the Independent Expert that other countries could learn from the rich experience of Iceland on how to minimize negative human rights impacts in the context of a financial crisis. 14. From 29 June to 6 July 2015, the Independent Expert conducted his second official visit, to China, in order to assess how its international lending practices contribute to the realization of human rights, in particular economic, social and cultural rights, in borrowing countries. In his end-of-mission statement, 5 the Independent Expert welcomed China’s leadership role in the establishment of two new multilateral development banks, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, in Beijing, and the New Development Bank, in Shanghai. He also stressed that a human rights focus would upgrade China’s international lending and underlined the need to avoid, mitigate or compensate for negative social, environmental and human rights impacts that may result from international lending and project financing. A comprehensive report on the visit will be presented to the Human Rights Council at its thirty-first session in March 2016. 15. The Independent Expert would like to thank the Governments of China and Iceland for their full cooperation, as well as relevant stakeholders who made themselves available during his visits and the fruitful, open and frank discussions he had in both countries with various interlocutors. __________________ 3 4 5 15-12541 See A/HRC/28/59/Add.1. A/69/273. The end-of-mission statement of the Independent Expert on his visit to China is accessible from http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=16203&LangID=E. 5/18