Saudi Arabia fails in bid to join UN human rights council

UNITED NATIONS, United States: Saudi Arabia was thwarted on Wednesday in its bid to join the UN´s human rights council, which is charged with protecting freedoms globally, after coming sixth in a vote of UN members for one of five regional seats.

Ethiopia and Qatar were among the 18 countries elected to the United Nations Human Rig

Ag AFOhts Council for three-year terms, despite campaign groups previously alleging rights violations in both countries.

The five vacant seats in the Asia-Pacific region went to Cyprus, the Marshall Islands, Qatar, Korea and Thailand.

There were only five candidates for the five vacant seats for the African region meaning that Benin, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Gambia and Kenya will all take up positions on the council next year.

Saudi Arabia is spending billions to transform its global image from a country known for strict religious restrictions and human rights abuses into a tourism and entertainment hub under a plan its Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman launched, known as Vision 2030.

Members of the Geneva-based Human Rights Council are elected by the 193-member UN General Assembly in New York in a secret ballot in geographical groups to ensure even representation.