US takes seat at UN human rights council

New York, Monday

The United States will today claim its seat at the UN Human Rights Council under the new presidency of Donald Trump, whose election has provoked deep concern over the body’s future.

Over its 11-year history, the council has come in for criticism, including allegations that it has, at times, been co-opted by rights abusers who push resolutions attacking their geopolitical rivals, with genuine rights issues marginalised.

But the 47-member panel has had successes — thanks to support from Barack Obama’s administration which held a seat on the council for most of his eight-year term, civil society groups say.

Many of the issues prioritised by Obama’s UN envoys — including violations in North Korea, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and South Sudan — will remain on the agenda when the council opens its main annual session in Geneva on Monday.

Among the headline speakers are UN chief Antonio Guterres and Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas. Trump’s State Department has not yet named a replacement for Obama’s envoy Keith Harper. Veteran US foreign service officer Erin Barclay is scheduled to address the body tomorrow.

Much of Trump’s international agenda remains murky but rights advocates have warned that early signs are not good for either the council or the broader human rights agenda.

“Clearly ‘America First’ does not suggest an approach that (prioritises) multilateral engagement,” said John Fisher of Human Rights Watch.

There is also “significant concern” about the US capacity to take a leadership role in the council based on Trump’s early moves, he added. Trump’s travel ban has been blocked in court. — AFP

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