Sudan reelected to Un Human Rights Council

October 11, 2022 (KHARTOUM) – Sudan was re-elected for a second three-year term at the United Nations Human Rights Council, announced the foreign ministry.

Sudan was re-elected among the 13 of 47 members representing Africa by the UN members to serve for additional three years, beginning on January 1, 2023.

Sudan’s Foreign Ministry, in a statement on Tuesday, described the country’s re-election for a second term to the Council as a “well-deserved victory.”

Khartoum said that its diplomats carried out a campaign to that resulted in a landslide victory with 157 out of 190 votes.

However, a lawyers’ group in Sudan slammed the elections at the current juncture, as the country is ruled by a military regime that killed over 120 protesters.

Sudan’s re-election challenges the Council’s ability to defend human rights across the world.

On Tuesday, the Council, tasked with the responsibility to globally promote and protect human rights, was elected by the majority of General Assembly members.

She noted that Sudan had faced a fierce campaign to obstruct its re-election to the Council, which had prompted it to lead broad diplomatic moves in close cooperation with friendly States and international partners.

“The diplomatic campaign resulted in Sudan’s landslide victory with 157 out of 190 votes, which qualified it to deservedly win membership of the Human Rights Council.”

The Foreign Ministry went further to add that Sudan’s victory confirmed its commitment to international human rights laws and conventions.

However, the Darfur Lawyers Association condemned the re-election saying that it shows that the voting process in the UN institutions is subjected to political bargaining.

“The vote also challenges the capacity of the Human Rights Council and its ability to carry out the tasks of monitoring and defending the human rights situation around the globe,” added the group.

Around 120 people were killed during the anti-coup protesters that started after the ouster of the civilian-led government by the Sudanese military in October 2021.

In October 2019, the UN elected Sudan with 175 votes a member of the human rights body for the first time in support of the civilian-led government and democratic reforms.

(ST)