[Cheonji Ilbo Washington=Reporter Eloise Lee] — September 30,
The United States, one of 47 elected members of the UN Human Rights Council, will not seek re-election when its current term expires at the end of this year, confirmed the State Department.
“We decided not to seek another spot on the Human Rights Council this time,” said department spokesperson Matthew Miller on Tuesday. He said the decision was made after discussion with allies about “the best way to move forward.”
What is the strategy?
Miller explained that there will be three seats available on the council after December 2024, but four countries including the US are interested in running for the spots. The US looked at the other three countries — Spain, Iceland, and Switzerland — and was satisfied that all three, being allies of America, could take on the next term on the UNHRC.
“All of them are countries with a very strong record of support for human rights. We thought they could carry the flag forward,” said Miller. “But we will engage – we will continue to remain engaged on human rights issues,” he added.
Miller also shared that the US is slated to run again for the council in 2028.
The Human Rights Council is an intergovernmental body within the United Nations system responsible for the protection of human rights and addressing human rights violations. It responds to human rights emergencies and makes recommendations on how to better implement human rights on the ground.
The members of the Council serve for a period of three years and are not be eligible for immediate re-election after two consecutive terms. If the United States changes its decision and secures re-election at the end of this year, it would not be able to run again until 2031.