Prince Zeid Al-Hussein, Jordan's ambassador to the UN, has been proposed as the next UN Human Rights Chief in an announcement made by the UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon on Friday.
Prince Zeid, a widely respected, long-standing diplomat, will replace the South African jurist, Navi Pillay as the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.
The proposal will be considered by the UN General Assembly for approval. According to Reuters, UN diplomats said resistance to the proposal was unlikely, given Prince Zeid's wide respect within the diplomatic community.
See here, here and here.
The UN announced on Friday:
Prince Zeid, a former UN peacekeeper, was deeply involved in the creation of the International Criminal Court and is known for being a strong advocate against sexual violence in conflict.
Critical of the UN's failure to ensure justice for the victims, he has frequently called on the Council to "support the International Criminal Court, as there could be no serious discussion on combating the worst forms of sexual violence without it."
In 2005, Prince Zeid produced a damning report on the sexual abuse and exploitation by UN peacekeepers. “Member states are not reliable enough to do a good job on their own, especially in the early stages of a military investigation,” he said at the time. His candid criticism of Jordanian peacekeepers within the report, increased his reputation for independence.
He also played a decisive role in ensuring Sri Lanka's senior military commander Shavendra Silva, who is accused of committing war crimes against the Tamil populations of the Vanni, was excluded from the UN's Senior Advisory Group on Peacekeeping Operations, reported Inner City Press.
Prince Zeid, a widely respected, long-standing diplomat, will replace the South African jurist, Navi Pillay as the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.
The proposal will be considered by the UN General Assembly for approval. According to Reuters, UN diplomats said resistance to the proposal was unlikely, given Prince Zeid's wide respect within the diplomatic community.
See here, here and here.
The UN announced on Friday:
"The Secretary-General, following consultations with the Chairmen of the regional groups of Member States, today informed the General Assembly of his intention to appoint H.R.H. Prince Zeid Ra’ad Zeid Al-Hussein of Jordan as the new United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.
Prince Zeid Ra’ad Zeid Al-Hussein is currently Jordan's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, a post he held previously for six and a half years, from 2000 to 2007. From 2007 to 2010 he served as Jordan's Ambassador to the United States and non-resident Ambassador to Mexico. He also served as Jordan’s Deputy Permanent Representative at the United Nations, with the rank of Ambassador, from 1996 to 2000.”
Prince Zeid, a former UN peacekeeper, was deeply involved in the creation of the International Criminal Court and is known for being a strong advocate against sexual violence in conflict.
Critical of the UN's failure to ensure justice for the victims, he has frequently called on the Council to "support the International Criminal Court, as there could be no serious discussion on combating the worst forms of sexual violence without it."
In 2005, Prince Zeid produced a damning report on the sexual abuse and exploitation by UN peacekeepers. “Member states are not reliable enough to do a good job on their own, especially in the early stages of a military investigation,” he said at the time. His candid criticism of Jordanian peacekeepers within the report, increased his reputation for independence.
He also played a decisive role in ensuring Sri Lanka's senior military commander Shavendra Silva, who is accused of committing war crimes against the Tamil populations of the Vanni, was excluded from the UN's Senior Advisory Group on Peacekeeping Operations, reported Inner City Press.