UN Chief Guterres welcomes US determination to re-engage with Human Rights Council

Image Source : AP UN Chief Antonio Guterres 
UN Secretary-General António Guterres has welcomed the choice of the United States to re-engage with the United Nations Human Rights Council, saying the world organisation seems ahead to listening to Washington’s essential voice throughout the Council’s pressing work.
“The Human Rights Council is the world’s leading forum for addressing the full range of human rights challenges. The Council’s mechanisms and special procedures are vital tools for ensuring action and accountability,” a press release issued by the UN Chief’s spokesperson stated Monday.
“The United Nations seems ahead to listening to the essential voice of the United States throughout the Council’s pressing work,” the assertion stated.
Under the Trump administration, the US had withdrawn from the United Nations Human Rights Council, condemning the “hypocrisy” of its members and its alleged “unrelenting bias” in opposition to Israel.
“As Secretary Blinken stated, efficient use of multilateral instruments is a crucial a part of the Biden administration’s recommitment to a US overseas coverage centered on democracy, human rights, and equality,” the US Mission to the UN stated in a press release Monday, including that the “best way” to grasp this dedication is thru “our continued engagement with allies, partners, non-governmental organisations, civil society, and multilateral organisations, including within the UN system.”
Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated President Joe Biden has instructed the Department of State to reengage “immediately and robustly” with the UN Human Rights Council.
“We recognise that the Human Rights Council is a flawed body, in need of reform to its agenda, membership, and focus, including its disproportionate focus on Israel. However, our withdrawal in June 2018 did nothing to encourage meaningful change, but instead created a vacuum of US leadership, which countries with authoritarian agendas have used to their advantage,” Blinken stated.
The US Mission to the UN added that Washington recognises the UN Human Rights Council has its flaws, “however we additionally consider it will possibly assist promote elementary freedoms around the globe.
“The only way we can ensure the Human Rights Council fulfills this important mandate is by being at the table as an observer and working with our partners and allies in a principled fashion to make it better.”
The Mission added that via Washington’s management on the UN Security Council and by reengaging with the Human Rights Council, “the United States will continue to fight for global peace and security, and to promote human rights and fundamental freedoms for all.”
Blinken stated within the instant time period, the United States will interact with the Council as an observer, and in that capability can have the “alternative to talk within the Council, take part in negotiations, and associate with others to introduce resolutions.

It is our view that one of the simplest ways to enhance the Council is to interact with it and its members in a principled vogue. We strongly consider that when the United States engages constructively with the Council, in live performance with our allies and associates, constructive change is inside attain.”
Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had stated that the Human Rights Council is a poor defender of human rights.
“Worse than that, the Human Rights Council has become an exercise in shameless hypocrisy – with many of the world’s worst human rights abuses going ignored, and some of the world’s most serious offenders sitting on the council itself,” he had stated because the US stop the Council.
Former US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley had stated the Council has been a protector of human rights abusers and a cesspool of political bias.
She stated she had made it clear to the Human Rights Council that the US will stay part of it if important reforms had been achieved, reforms that had been wanted in an effort to make the council a critical advocate for human rights.
“Human rights abusers continue to serve on and be elected to the council. The world’s most inhumane regimes continue to escape scrutiny, and the council continues politicising and scapegoating of countries with positive human rights records in an attempt to distract from the abusers in their ranks,” she had stated.
In remarks on the Human Rights Council Organisational Meeting in Geneva, US Chargé d’Affaires Mark Cassayre stated the Biden administration “believes in a foreign policy centered on democracy, human rights, and equality…Effective use of multilateral tools is an important element of that vision.”
Cassayre added that “whereas recognising the Council’s flaws, we all know that this physique has the potential to be an vital discussion board for these combating tyranny and injustice around the globe.
By being current on the desk, we search to make sure it will possibly dwell as much as that potential.”
The Human Rights Council was created by the United Nations General Assembly in March 2006. The Council is manufactured from 47 Member States, that are elected by nearly all of members of the General Assembly of the United Nations via direct and secret poll.
Members of the Council serve for a interval of three years and are usually not eligible for instant re-election after serving two consecutive phrases. 
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