The United States returns to the UN Human Rights Council, after criticism of Trump
Linda Thomas-Greenfield, US envoy to the UN.
Photo: BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI / AFP / Getty Images
While he was president of the United States, Donald Trump harshly criticized the United Nations and even withdrew the country from the agency . This week, however, Washington won a seat on the UN Human Rights Council .
Together with others 17 nations, the US got a place in voting not without criticism.
Linda Thomas-Greenfield , sent from the United States, assured that with this a campaign promise from President Joe Biden of meet with the agency .
Pleased to announce the US has been elected to the @ UN_HRC . With @ POTUS ‘pledge fulfilled, we will work to ensure the Council lives up to the principle that “all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.” Thanks for the overwhelming support from Member States. pic.twitter.com/ECbIdbLRWK
In a statement after the vote, Secretary of State Anthony Blinken stated that the country will work “hard to make sure the council stands up for its most high aspirations and better support those who fight against injustice and tyranny around the world. ”
Based in Geneva, this council was created in 1200 in replacement of a commission that was discredited because some members had disturbing backgrounds in the matter.
However, soon the new council faced criticism along the same lines.
“The lack of competition in the vote of this year the Human Rights Council is a mockery for the ‘world election’. Electing serious human rights violators such as Cameroon, Eritrea and the United Arab Emirates sends a terrible signal that UN member states do not take seriously the fundamental mission of the council to protect human rights ”, he emphatically criticized Louis Charbonneau, Director of Human Rights Watch for the United Nations .
For example, Charbonneau indicates that the Cameroonian government has cracked down on opponents and dissenters; Eritrean troops are singled out for atrocities in neighboring Tigray, Ethiopia, among others.
It is a rule that seats must be divided by regions to ensure geographic representation.
