Foreign
By Kennedy Nnamani
THE United States has expressed its approval for the appointment of Austria’s Volker Türk as the next United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.
Ambassador Lisa Carty, U.S. representative to the Economic and Social Council, who disclosed this on Thursday in a press statement, noted that Turk’s commitment to promoting and protecting human rights around the world is already evident through his distinguished career in the UN system.
According to Carty, his most recent role as the Secretary General’s Under Secretary General for Policy, as well as his work on refugee and humanitarian issues speak for him.
In the statement, Carty remarked that “the High Commissioner must serve as an independent, impartial, and unwavering voice for human rights issues around the world.”
This is even so at this time when civil and political rights are increasingly under attack and the principles of the UN Declaration of Human Rights continue to be flouted.
Thus, “the High Commissioner must be willing to call out human rights violations and abuses wherever they occur.”
In addition, it is the responsibility of the commissioner to reaffirm the universal values enshrined in the UN Charter as well as the Universal Declaration on Human Rights, through his work with the special procedures, treaty bodies, and the Universal Periodic Review as well as civil society and human rights defenders around the world.
“We find ourselves at a time where human rights violations continue to increase on a global level,” Carty said. “Mr. Türk has a challenging road ahead of him, but he can count on the full support of the United States as he undertakes the immensely important work of safeguarding and defending human rights across the globe.”
It is pertinent to know that Türk, from 2019 to 2021, Türk served as Assistant Secretary-General for Strategic Coordination in the UN Chief’s Executive Office.
However, prior to that (from 2015 to 2019), he was the Assistant High Commissioner for Protection at UN refugees, UNHCR, in Geneva, where he played a key role in the development of the landmark Global Compact on Refugees.
Also, from 2009 to 2015, he served at the UNHCR headquarters as Director of the Division of International Protection, and from 2008 to 2009, he was appointed the Director of Organizational Development and Management and from 2000 to 2004, he became the Chief of Section, Protection Policy and Legal Advice
Assuming this position as the new United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Turk will succeed Michelle Bachelet, the former President of Chile.
KN
Tags: Kennedy Nnamani Lisa Carty Michelle Bachelet Volker Türk
