ID :
183418
Fri, 05/20/2011 - 22:16
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/183418
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Kuwait elected member of UN Human Rights Council
UNITED NATIONS, May 20 (KUNA) -- The UN General Assembly (UNGA) has on Friday elected the State of Kuwait for the first time in the 15-member Human Rights Council for the 2011-14 term.
The UNGA's selection is a recognition of Kuwait's bright human rights record and active contribution to the international efforts in this regard, acting charge d'affaires of Kuwait's mission to the UN Mohammad Al-Mutairi told KUNA after the vote.
The HRC is the second most important UN agency after the Security Council, Al-Mutairi noted.
On behalf of Kuwait, he thanked the UN member states which voted for and gave trust to Kuwait, voicing hope that the country will be able to promote the human rights worldwide.
In accordance with paragraph VII of General Assembly resolution 60/251 the HRC shall consist of 47 Member States, which shall be elected directly and individually by secret ballot by the majority of the members of the General Assembly. The membership shall be based on equitable geographical distribution, and seats shall be distributed as follows among regional groups.
The group of Asian states approved last week Kuwait as their candidate for the membe rship after Syria put off its bid to 2013 pending resetting its priority list for candidature to the UN agencies and making headway in its stated political reforms.
The other Asian candidates are India, Indonesia and the Philippines.
The General Assembly also elected Austria and Italy as representatives of the group of Western European and other States, the Czech Republic and Romania - the group of Eastern European States, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso and Congo - the African states, and Chile, Costa Rica and Peru - the Latin American and Caribbean States.
The Geneva-based HRC is an inter-governmental body within the UN system made up of 47 States responsible for strengthening the promotion and protection of human rights around the globe. The Council was created by the UN General Assembly on 15 March 2006 with the main purpose of addressing situations of human rights violations and make recommendations on them.
One year after holding its first meeting, on 18 June 2007, the Council adopted its "Institution-building package" providing elements to guide it in its future work. Among the elements is the new Universal Periodic Review mechanism which will assess the human rights situations in all 192 UN Me mber States.
According to the geographical distribution of the membership of the council is made up of 13 African states, 13 Asian states, six Eastern European states, eight Latin American and Carrbbean states, and seven Western European and other states.
The members of the Council serve for a period of three years and are eligible for immediate re-election after two consecutive terms.
The other current Arab members of the council are Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Jordan and Mauritania whose terms will expire in 2012, 2013, June 2011, 2012 and 2013 respectively.
On March 1, 2011, the UNGA decided to suspend Libya's HRC membership against the backdrop of what it deemed as serious human rights violations in the Arab country.
Following the vote, General Assembly President Joseph Deiss congratulated the new Council members, including Kuwait, for winning seats on the Human Rights Council and expressed hope that their membership there will be "fruitful." Jordan's Am bassador to the UN Prince Zeid Ra'ad Al-Hussein, told KUNA that Jordan "welcomes, with great pleasure" Kuwait joining the Human Rights Council and that he definitely voted for Kuwait.
Iraqi Ambassador Hamid Al-Bayati told KUNA that Iraq was "glad" to support Kuwait. "We wish Kuwait good luck in the Council and we look forward to cooperating with Kuwait" in all UN institutions, including the Council, and in all humanitarian and other issues pending between the two countries. (end) sj.gb KUNA 202025 May 11NNNN
The UNGA's selection is a recognition of Kuwait's bright human rights record and active contribution to the international efforts in this regard, acting charge d'affaires of Kuwait's mission to the UN Mohammad Al-Mutairi told KUNA after the vote.
The HRC is the second most important UN agency after the Security Council, Al-Mutairi noted.
On behalf of Kuwait, he thanked the UN member states which voted for and gave trust to Kuwait, voicing hope that the country will be able to promote the human rights worldwide.
In accordance with paragraph VII of General Assembly resolution 60/251 the HRC shall consist of 47 Member States, which shall be elected directly and individually by secret ballot by the majority of the members of the General Assembly. The membership shall be based on equitable geographical distribution, and seats shall be distributed as follows among regional groups.
The group of Asian states approved last week Kuwait as their candidate for the membe rship after Syria put off its bid to 2013 pending resetting its priority list for candidature to the UN agencies and making headway in its stated political reforms.
The other Asian candidates are India, Indonesia and the Philippines.
The General Assembly also elected Austria and Italy as representatives of the group of Western European and other States, the Czech Republic and Romania - the group of Eastern European States, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso and Congo - the African states, and Chile, Costa Rica and Peru - the Latin American and Caribbean States.
The Geneva-based HRC is an inter-governmental body within the UN system made up of 47 States responsible for strengthening the promotion and protection of human rights around the globe. The Council was created by the UN General Assembly on 15 March 2006 with the main purpose of addressing situations of human rights violations and make recommendations on them.
One year after holding its first meeting, on 18 June 2007, the Council adopted its "Institution-building package" providing elements to guide it in its future work. Among the elements is the new Universal Periodic Review mechanism which will assess the human rights situations in all 192 UN Me mber States.
According to the geographical distribution of the membership of the council is made up of 13 African states, 13 Asian states, six Eastern European states, eight Latin American and Carrbbean states, and seven Western European and other states.
The members of the Council serve for a period of three years and are eligible for immediate re-election after two consecutive terms.
The other current Arab members of the council are Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Jordan and Mauritania whose terms will expire in 2012, 2013, June 2011, 2012 and 2013 respectively.
On March 1, 2011, the UNGA decided to suspend Libya's HRC membership against the backdrop of what it deemed as serious human rights violations in the Arab country.
Following the vote, General Assembly President Joseph Deiss congratulated the new Council members, including Kuwait, for winning seats on the Human Rights Council and expressed hope that their membership there will be "fruitful." Jordan's Am bassador to the UN Prince Zeid Ra'ad Al-Hussein, told KUNA that Jordan "welcomes, with great pleasure" Kuwait joining the Human Rights Council and that he definitely voted for Kuwait.
Iraqi Ambassador Hamid Al-Bayati told KUNA that Iraq was "glad" to support Kuwait. "We wish Kuwait good luck in the Council and we look forward to cooperating with Kuwait" in all UN institutions, including the Council, and in all humanitarian and other issues pending between the two countries. (end) sj.gb KUNA 202025 May 11NNNN
