The U.N. General Assembly on Tuesday elected South Africa, Algeria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Chile, Costa Rica, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Maldives, Morocco, Romania and Vietnam to the Human Rights Council for a three-year term starting on Jan. 1, 2023.
Germany and Sudan also won second terms on the Geneva-based body, but South Korea and Venezuela failed to be re-elected. The 47-member council cannot make legally binding decisions, but its decisions carry political weight and it can authorize inquiries.
"It’s a mixed picture. Korea being out is quite a negative surprise but liberal democracies will be relieved that Venezuela is out," said Olaf Wientzek, director of the Geneva office of Germany's Konrad Adenauer Foundation.
