UN General Assembly re-elects Qatar to Human Rights Council

Five vacant seats in the Asia-Pacific group went to Cyprus, the Marshall Islands, Qatar, South Korea and Thailand

A session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. AFP

Qatar was elected to the UN Human Rights Council for the sixth time on Wednesday, securing its position among the 47 member states responsible for promoting and protecting human rights globally.

Saudi Arabia narrowly missed securing a seat, marking its second failed bid after a previous rejection in 2020.

Qatar has served as a member of the UN Human Rights Council five times since its inception in 2006, with its most recent term running from 2022 to 2024.

The Asia-Pacific group, which included Saudi Arabia, was the only competitive race, with six candidates vying for five seats. Those seats went to Cyprus, the Marshall Islands, Qatar, South Korea and Thailand.

Elections for the council are held by the UN General Assembly, with candidate countries coming from various geographic groups. Members are selected by secret ballot.

The council was created in 2006 to replace a human rights commission discredited because of some members’ poor rights records. However, the new council has faced similar criticism.

The new elected members will begin their term on January 1.