Zambia elected for three-year term on UN Human Rights Council

Zambia has been elected to the United Nations Human Rights Council for the 2027 to 2029 term. It secured 177 votes in the General Assembly out of the 181 valid ballots on Tuesday, the highest score recorded by a candidate country in this election. Zambia will now officially take office on the 1st of January for its three-year term alongside the 15 other new nations on the 47-member body. President Hakainde Hichilema has thanked UN member states for his vote of confidence, describing it as a strong endorsement of the country's commitment to human rights. He added that the success of Zambia's membership will be measured by the experiences of citizens at home and the country's ability to represent Africa. Burundi, Ghana and Nigeria were the other African nations to be elected. They were joined by Brazil, the Dominican Republic, Germany, Ireland, Japan, Jordan, Kuwait, Nepal, Moldova, Ukraine and Uruguay. Established in 2006, the Council is the UN's main intergovernmental body responsible for promoting and protecting fundamental rights throughout the world.