South Africa and Morocco are locked in a fierce contest for the presidency of the United Nations’ top human rights body, exposing a rare rift within the African group.
The 47-member UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) is due to elect its new leader on Wednesday, after failing to reach a consensus by the end of last year. This is only the second time in the council’s 17-year history that the issue has gone to a secret ballot.
According to the council’s rotation system, it is the turn of the African group to nominate a candidate. However, the group has been unable to agree on a single nominee, as South Africa and Morocco both insist on running for the post.
The two countries have clashed over the disputed territory of Western Sahara, where Morocco claims sovereignty and South Africa supports the independence movement led by the Polisario Front. Morocco has accused South Africa of using the Human Rights Council as a platform to advance its political agenda, while South Africa has questioned Morocco’s human rights record and credibility to lead the council.
South Africa’s ambassador Mxolisi Nkosi told Reuters that his country’s experience of overcoming apartheid and its reputation as a bridge-builder made it a strong candidate. He said Morocco was the “antithesis of what the council stands for” and that its election would “shatter whatever shred of legitimacy this council ever had”.
Morocco’s ambassador Omar Zniber said his country had received the backing of the African Union as the sole candidate months ago and that it was a law-abiding country that had made significant progress on human rights. He dismissed South Africa’s criticism of its Western Sahara policies as “lies and propaganda”.
The UNHRC is the only intergovernmental body that can protect and promote human rights worldwide. It can also increase scrutiny of countries’ human rights records and authorize investigations into alleged violations.
The council has faced criticism for allowing some of its members, such as China, Russia, and Saudi Arabia, to escape accountability for their human rights abuses. Some observers have also expressed concern that the council’s credibility and effectiveness could be undermined by the current leadership dispute.
However, others have argued that the competition between South Africa and Morocco could be a positive sign of diversity and democracy within the African group and the council. They have also urged the two candidates to focus on the common challenges and opportunities facing the continent and the world in terms of human rights.
The outcome of the vote is expected to be close, as both South Africa and Morocco have strong allies and interests in the council. The winner will need to secure a simple majority of the council members, or at least 24 votes.
Whoever emerges victorious will have the responsibility of steering the council through a critical year, as it deals with the impact of the global pandemic, the climate crisis, and the rise of authoritarianism and populism on human rights.
Source: Reuters
