A/69/318 I. Introduction 1. The General Assembly, in section II, paragraph 9 of its resolution 68/151 on global efforts for the total elimination of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance and the comprehensive implementation of and follow -up to the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action, requested the Chair of the Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent to make a report on its work available to the Assembly, and in that regard invited the Chair of the Working Group to engage in an interactive dialogue with the Assembly under the agenda item “Elimination of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance” at its sixty-ninth session. 2. The present report covers the time period from 1 July 2013 to 30 June 2014. II. Mandate 3. The Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent was established on 25 April 2002 by the former Commission on Human Rights, in accordance with the request contained in paragraph 7 of the Durban Programme of Action adopted by the World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance in 2001. 4. The mandate of the Working Group, as outlined in Commission on Human Rights resolution 2002/68, paragraph 8 and further expanded in Commission on Human Rights resolution 2003/30, paragraphs 24 and 25 is: (a) To study the problems of racial discrimination faced by people of African descent living in the diaspora and to this end gather all relevant information from Governments, non-governmental organizations and other relevant sources, including through holding public meetings with them; (b) To propose measures to ensure full and effective access to the justice system by people of African descent; (c) To submit recommendations on the design, implementation and enforcement of effective measures to eliminate racial profiling of peo ple of African descent; (d) To elaborate short-, medium- and long-term proposals for the elimination of racial discrimination against people of African descent, bearing in mind the need for close collaboration with international and development institutio ns and the specialized agencies of the United Nations system to promote the human rights of people of African descent, inter alia through: (i) Improving the human rights situation of people of African descent by devoting special attention to their needs, inter alia through the preparation of specific programmes of action; (ii) Designing special projects, in collaboration with people of African descent, to support their initiatives at the community level and to facilitate the exchange of information and technical know-how between these populations and experts in these areas; 14-59293 3/22