Omar Zniber, Morocco's Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva, has been elected as the President of the Human Rights Council (HRC) for the year 2024. The online voting, broadcast on the UN portal, saw Zniber securing 30 votes in favor, surpassing the required majority.
Deputy Chair of the HRC and Permanent Representative of Indonesia to the UN in Geneva Febrian Ruddyard announced the results, stating, "In favor of the candidacy of His Excellency Omar Zniber, Permanent Representative of Morocco [to the UN] - 30 votes. For his Excellency Mxolisi Nkosi, Permanent Representative of South Africa [to the UN] - 17 votes." Zniber, representing the African group, has been elected as the HRC chair for the 18th cycle.
This development follows the October 2023 General Assembly session where Russia was not elected to the UN Human Rights Council for the 2024-2026 term, falling short of the necessary votes. Russia had joined the Human Rights Council in 2020 but faced a suspension of its membership in April 2022 due to a military operation in Ukraine.
Commenting on Russia's non-selection, Alexander Brod, a member of the Presidential Council for the Development of Civil Society and Human Rights, expressed that it reflects deeper issues within the structure itself, where human rights matters have been distorted and used as a tool for pressuring undesired entities.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: Mathias Reding/Unsplash
Based on materials from TASS