Seventy-sixth Session,
71st Meeting (AM)
GA/12418

Electing Czech Republic as Member of Human Rights Council, General Assembly Also Adopts Texts on Stockholm+50 Conference, Peacekeeping Operations Review

The General Assembly held a by-election today to replace a vacant seat in the Human Rights Council, the United Nations body responsible for promoting and protecting all human rights around the globe.

By secret ballot, the Assembly elected the Czech Republic as a member of the Council for a term of office beginning on 10 May 2022 and ending on 31 December 2023.

The Czech Republic is replacing the Russian Federation, which resigned from the Council on 7 April 2022.

In accordance with Assembly resolution 60/251 of 15 March 2006, and taking into account that the vacancy occurred from among the Eastern European States, the new member was required to be from that region.  The Czech Republic will join Armenia, Lithuania, Montenegro, Poland and Ukraine to comprise the Council’s membership from the Eastern European regional group.

Created by the General Assembly in March 2006 as the principal United Nations entity dealing with human rights, the Human Rights Council comprises 47 elected Member States.  On the basis of equitable geographic distribution, Council seats are allocated to the five regional groups as follows:  African States, 13 seats; Asia-Pacific States, 13 seats; Eastern European States, 6 seats; Latin American and Caribbean States, 8 seats; and Western European and other States, 7 seats.

In other business, the Assembly adopted without a vote the draft decision “International meeting entitled ‘Stockholm+50: a healthy planet for the prosperity of all – our responsibility, our opportunity’” (document A/76/L.53).  By the terms of the text, the Assembly decided — without setting a precedent for future international meetings — that States and the European Union speaking at the plenary meetings to be held in Stockholm on 2-3 June may each submit a pre-recorded statement of their Head of State or Government, which will be played during the general debate following introduction by the presiding officer.

The Assembly also adopted without a vote the draft resolution titled “Comprehensive review of the whole question of peacekeeping operations in all their aspects”, contained in paragraph six of the eponymous report of the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) (document A/76/418/Add.1).  Through the resolution, the Assembly decided that the Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations shall continue its efforts for a comprehensive review and shall review the implementation of its previous proposals and consider any new proposals so as to enhance the capacity of the United Nations to fulfil its responsibilities in this field.

Finally, the Assembly appointed Brazil as a member of the Board of the 10-Year Framework of Programmes on Sustainable Consumption and Production Patterns for a term beginning on 10 May 2022 and ending on 14 March 2024, filling the vacancy reserved for Latin American and Caribbean States.

The General Assembly will reconvene at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, 11 May, to take action on a draft decision regarding the necessity of ending the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the United States against Cuba.

Voting Result for By-Election

Number of ballots:

180

Number of invalid ballots:

0

Number of valid votes:

180

Number of abstentions:

23

Number of members voting:

157

Majority required:

97

Number of votes obtained:

 

Czech Republic

157

For information media. Not an official record.