NIGERIA AND THE 2024 UNITED NATIONS HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL ELECTIONS: SETTING THE RECORD STRAIGHT

On October 9, 2024, the United Nations General Assembly elected 18 new members to the Human Rights Council for the upcoming 2025-2027 term.

The elected United Nations include Benin, Bolivia, Colombia, Cyprus, Czechia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Gambia, Iceland, Kenya, Marshall Islands, Mexico, North Macedonia, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Spain, Switzerland, and Thailand.

The Human Rights Council, which consists of 47 member states, is tasked with promoting and protecting human rights on a global scale.

The recent United Nations  election was conducted via secret ballot, filling three-year terms that will begin on January 1, 2025, and replacing outgoing members whose terms expire on December 31, 2024.

Among the departing members are Argentina, Benin, Cameroon, Eritrea, Finland, Gambia, Honduras, India, Kazakhstan, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Montenegro, Paraguay, Qatar, Somalia, United Arab Emirates, and the United States. Notably, Argentina, Cameroon, Eritrea, India, and Somalia were ineligible for immediate re-election as they had served two consecutive terms.

Countries such as Albania, Algeria, Brazil, China, Ghana, Japan, and South Africa will continue their service on the Council.

In the African regional group, the endorsed candidates—Benin, Gambia, Kenya, DRC, and Ethiopia—secured all five available seats without competition, as the number of candidates matched the available positions.

Contrary to reports suggesting Nigeria was snubbed in the election, official sources clarified that Nigeria did not stand as a candidate this cycle, nor did it in 2023.

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The claims stemmed from erroneous reports, and officials emphasized that any votes mistakenly attributed to Nigeria were likely cast in error.

President Bola Tinubu’s administration has focused on supporting regional candidates to promote collective African representation on the global stage, aligning with Nigeria’s diplomatic efforts for African unity.

In light of these developments, officials urge media outlets to verify information before publication, stressing the importance of accurate reporting on international matters.

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This announcement comes from Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President (Information & Strategy), dated October 13, 2024.