German Diplomat elected as President of UN Human Rights Council, Geneva

Saturday, 13 December 2014 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Last Tuesday Joachim Ruecker, Germany’s Ambassador to the United Nations, was chosen to preside over the UN Human Rights Council. Ambassador Ruecker, the first German to be elected to this post, will lead the UNHRC for one year from January 2015. In his inauguration speech Ambassador Ruecker pledged to “serve this Council in fulfilling its obligation to help promote and protect our universal, indivisible, interrelated, interdependent and mutually reinforcing human rights and fundamental freedoms.” While acknowledging that the status of human rights leaves to be desired, he also pointed out that “the United Nation’s Third Pillar, the Human Rights Pillar, anchored in the UN Charter of 1945, is key to a more peaceful and prosperous world. In the words of former Secretary General Kofi Annan: we will not enjoy security without development; we will not enjoy development without security; and we will not enjoy either without respect for human rights.” In his statement Ambassador Ruecker said that the Council could be proud of his achievement over the past years, such as the Universal Periodic Review, the special procedures and other mechanisms that have had a profound and positive impact on the promotion and protection of human rights. Ambassador Ruecker sees one of his main tasks in strengthening the effectiveness and efficiency of the Council. He also emphasised that it was vital to keep alive the spirit of 2006 – the founding year of the UNHRC – and to focus on the Council’s core competencies and unique features including working in close cooperation with Civil Society, saying “Civil Society is at the core of human rights, at the core of our work.” The current German Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Dr. Juergen Morhard, recalls Ambassador Ruecker as a truly inspiring leader while Ambassador Morhard served as his deputy in 2003/2004.

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