Joe Biden administration moves to rejoin UN Human Rights Council | World News – Times of India

WASHINGTON: US President Joe Biden‘s administration will reengage with the United Nations Human Rights Council, three years after former President Donald Trump withdrew over what his administration known as bias in opposition to Israel and a scarcity of reform.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken will announce on Monday that the United States will return to the Geneva-based council as an observer, a senior State Department official stated on Sunday.
“We intend to do so knowing that the most effective way to reform and improve the Council is to engage with it in a principled fashion,” the official stated.
“We know that the Council has the potential to be an important forum for those fighting tyranny and injustice around the world. By being present at the table, we seek to reform it and ensure it can live up to that potential,” the official stated.
The plan was first reported by the Associated Press.
Trump, a Republican whose “America First” agenda contributed to his choices to withdraw from a number of worldwide organizations and agreements, give up the Human Rights Council in 2018 – midway by means of its three 12 months time period – over what it known as persistent bias in opposition to Israel and a scarcity of reform.
The 193-member U.N. General Assembly is due to elect new members to the council later this 12 months. Members are elected for 3 years and can’t serve greater than two consecutive phrases. Candidates are elected by secret poll in geographical teams to guarantee even illustration.
The subsequent session of the 47-member Geneva-based council is due to begin later this month.