Vote on resolution on negative impact of illicit financial flows during 58th UN Human Rights Council

During the 58th UN Human Rights Council, a resolution on the negative impact of illicit financial flows tabled by Ghana on behalf of the African Group was adopted following a vote. Among other things, the resolution refers to a report by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), according to which an estimated USD 88.6 billion, or around 3.7% of Africa's GDP, leaves the continent each year as illicit capital flight. Accordingly, the resolution requests the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and his Office (OHCHR) to organise various expert meetings and requests to prepare a substantive report on the issue. The states that voted against the text cited, among other things, possible duplication with the efforts of other entities and instruments, a weak operational link to the promotion of human rights or to the root causes of corruption. The topic is also becoming increasingly important in light of shrinking budgets for official development assistance (ODA) and ongoing debates on the future of financing for development like the upcoming 4th International Conference on Financing for Development (FdD4) in Sevilla (Spain) at the end of June 2025.