Summary

The Independent Expert on human rights and international solidarity, Obiora Chinedu Okafor, visited Sweden from 23 to 27 April 2018, in accordance with Human Rights Council resolution 35/3.

The Independent Expert was impressed by the ability and will of the Government, as well as that of all the relevant actors that he met from civil society, business and social partners, to rethink the ways of addressing the many global challenges currently facing the world through a human rights-based international solidarity approach, especially with regard to climate change and migration issues. The broad consensus within Swedish society and across the political spectrum on the imperative of practising human rights-based international solidarity, witnessed by the Independent Expert during his visit, is admirable. The Independent Expert recommends that Sweden renew and enhance its efforts to combat xenophobic populist discourse against migrants and refugees, as it tends to jeopardize and considerably threaten efforts to advance human rights-based international solidarity.