U.S. Steps Back from Seeking Reelection on U.N. Human Rights Council

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The Biden administration has decided not to pursue a second consecutive term on the United Nations Human Rights Council. This decision, announced by the State Department, marks a shift in the U.S. approach to the Geneva-based council, which has faced substantial criticism over the years. 

 

The U.S. had made it a priority to rejoin the council when President Biden took office in 2021, after former President Donald Trump withdrew from the body, citing what he described as a persistent anti-Israel bias. However, since rejoining, the Biden administration has expressed dissatisfaction with the council's stance on several issues, particularly in relation to votes concerning the Middle East. "We decided not to seek another (term) on the Human Rights Council at this time because we are engaged with our allies about the best way to move forward," said State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller.

 

The election process for the 47-member council is managed by the U.N. General Assembly, with candidate nations divided into various regional groups. The U.S. belongs to the Western Hemisphere and Others group (WEOG), and three other nations—Spain, Iceland, and Switzerland—are running from the same group. Miller assured reporters that these nations would adequately represent U.S. interests and values. “All of them are countries with a very strong record of support for human rights,” Miller said. “We thought they would carry the flag forward, but we will continue to remain engaged on human rights issues.”

 

The U.N. Human Rights Council was established in 2006 to replace its predecessor, a human rights commission discredited due to its members’ poor human rights records. Despite initial optimism, the new council has faced similar accusations. Critics argue that nations with questionable human rights practices seek membership to shield themselves and their allies from scrutiny. The U.S. has been particularly vocal about the issue of electing candidates with poor human rights records, especially those running on uncontested slates.

 

Throughout its membership, the U.S. has stood as one of Israel’s staunchest defenders, repeatedly condemning what it perceives as anti-Israel bias within the council. This stance played a significant role in the Trump administration’s decision to withdraw from the council in 2018. During his tenure, Trump pointed to the council’s disproportionate focus on Israel as a major flaw, a sentiment that his administration echoed loudly on the global stage.

 

However, when President Biden took office, his administration quickly signaled a return to the council, with Secretary of State Antony Blinken criticizing Trump's withdrawal. Blinken argued that the decision had failed to produce any meaningful changes and instead allowed authoritarian regimes to gain influence in the absence of U.S. leadership. As Blinken stated at the time, the withdrawal “did nothing to encourage meaningful change, but instead created a vacuum of U.S. leadership, which countries with authoritarian agendas have used to their advantage.”

 

Based on a report from: US News 2024-10-02