Saudi Arabia narrowly missed out on a seat on the UN Human Rights Council today, a blow to Riyadh’s efforts to improve the country’s human rights record and four years after its bid was rejected in 2020. , to join the 47-member body, Reuters reported.
Saudi Arabia is spending billions to transform the global image of itself as a country with strict religious restrictions and human rights abuses, becoming a hub for tourism and entertainment. This is what the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s plan, known as “Vision 2030”, foresees.
Members of the Geneva-based UN Human Rights Council are elected by the world body’s 193-member General Assembly in New York by secret ballot by geographical group to ensure equal representation.
The Asia-Pacific group, which includes Saudi Arabia, was the only contested race today with six candidates for five seats. The Marshall Islands ranked 5th with 124 votes, and Saudi Arabia failed to qualify, receiving 117 votes, BTA writes.