MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Argentina to head UN Human Rights Council throughout 2022

Federico Villegas Beltrán has been chosen as next head of the Human Rights Council

Argentina has been voted unanimously to preside over the United Nations Human Rights Council, in what has been perceived as a diplomatic achievement of President Alberto Fernández's administration.

During a UN convention in Geneva, a proposal from all the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean was endorsed by the rest of the 47 governments, that make up the Council, which is an intergovernmental body within the United Nations in charge of promoting and protecting all human rights worldwide.

Until 2019 Argentina served as vice president and until the end of this year it is one of the eight countries that represent the American continent. The others are the Bahamas, Uruguay, Cuba, Venezuela, Bolivia, Brazil, and Mexico.

This Council, created on March 15, 2006, has the capacity to debate various thematic issues related to human rights and situations that require attention. The Council's Board is composed of a president and four vice-presidents, who represent the five regional groups for a period of one year. In 2022, it was up to Latin America to be in charge of the presidency.

Fernández had failed to have Argentina appointed to lead the CELAC (Community of Latin American and Caribbean States) after sacking then Foreign Minister Felipe Solá, who found out about his dismissal during a stopover en route to a group Summit. Under those circumstances, Mexico postponed the decision to appoint a new head.

Current Argentine Foreign Minister Santiago Cafiero said Monday's decision was “a recognition of our country and its commitment to human rights as part of the national identity since the recovery of democracy.”

Argentine career diplomat Federico Villegas Beltrán, a former Ambassador to Mozambique under President Mauricio Macri, has been chosen as the next head of the Human Rights Council.