The Biden administration is expected to announce this week that it will once again revolt with the heavily-involved UN Human Rights Council that former President Donald Trump withdrew -out nearly three years ago, U.S. officials said Sunday. The decision returns another Trump-era move away from multilateral groups and agreements.
U.S. officials say Secretary of State Antony Blinken and the U.S. senior representative in Geneva announced Monday that Washington will return to the Geneva-based group as an observer with a view to seeking an election in full. ball. The decision is likely to draw criticism from conservation lawyers and many in the pro-Israel community.
United Nations headquarters in New York City, USA
(Photo: AP)
Trump withdrew from the world’s leading human rights group in 2018 because of his unfair focus on Israel, which has received the largest number of emergency advice resolutions against any country, other than the number of authoritarian countries among its members and because of it did not meet an extensive list of reforms called for by the then US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley.
In addition to the council’s continued focus on Israel, the Trump administration raised an issue with the group’s membership, which currently includes China, Cuba, Eritrea, Russia and Venezuela, all of whom are accused of abuse human rights.
One U.S. chief executive said the Biden administration believed the council still needed reform but that the best way to drive change was to “engage with it in a principled fashion.” official said it can be “an important forum for those fighting hostility and injustice around the world” and the U.S. presence is intended to “ensure that it can survive to the that ability. “
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken
(Photo: Reuters)
That officer and three others familiar with the decision were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly prior to the announcement, and spoke on condition of anonymity.
While the U.S. will only have non-voting observer status on the council by the end of 2021, officials said the administration plans to seek one of three full-member seats – which Austria currently holds. , Denmark and Italy – from the “Western Europe and other group states” that will come up for election later this year.
The UN General Assembly makes the final choice in a vote that usually takes place in October each year to fill vacancies in three-year terms at the 47-member council.
US President Joe Biden
(Photo: AFP)
The U.S. communication with the Council and its predecessor, the UN Human Rights Commission, has been a political feud between Republican and Democratic administrations for decades. While acknowledging their shortcomings, Democratic leaders have demanded a seat at the table while Republicans have reiterated their criticism of Israel.
Trump was pulled out of the UNHRC, however, as one of several U.S. retaliatives from the international community in his four years in office. He also walked away from the Paris Climate Agreement, the Iran nuclear deal, the World Health Organization, the DA education and culture agency, UNESCO, and several arms control treaties. Trump also threatened to withdraw from the International Postal Union and would often try to withdraw from the World Trade Organization.
Since taking office last month, President Joe Biden has backtracked both in line with the Paris and WHO agreement and has expressed interest in returning to the Iran treaty. as well as UNESCO.