Nigeria re-elected to UN human rights council

The UN general assembly has re-elected Nigeria and 14 other countries to serve on the human rights council (UNHRC) from 2018 to 2020.

UNHRC is the highest intergovernmental body in the UN for matters relating to protection and promotion of human rights worldwide.

The election was done through secret ballot on Monday in New York.

The newly elected countries are Afghanistan, Angola, Australia, Chile, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mexico, Nepal, Pakistan, Peru, Qatar, Senegal, Slovakia, Spain and Ukraine.

They will all serve three-year terms beginning on January 1, 2018.

Africa and Asia-Pacific have four seats each on the council; three seats for Latin America and Caribbean; two for Eastern European states; and two seats for Western European and other states.

On the basis of geographical distribution, council seats are allocated to the five regional groups as follows: African states, 13 seats; Asia-Pacific states, 13 seats; and Eastern European states, six seats.

Others are Latin America and Caribbean states, eight seats; and Western European and other states, seven seats.

Nigeria has served the global community on the UNHRC for three terms since it was established in 2006.

Audu Kadiri, ambassador/permanent representative of Nigeria to the UN office and other international organisations in Geneva, had said during Nigeria’s re-election bid that the country is motivated that in representing Africa, it would advance the council’s agenda.

“The country will therefore retain the opportunity to continue to share best practices with other members of the Human Rights Council in the important task of the promotion of human rights and fundamental freedoms in Nigeria, Africa and the world,” he had said.