NEW YORK // UN envoys will vote tomorrow on new members for the Geneva-based Human Rights Council after weeks of mounting tensions that were eased when Syria withdrew its candidacy and allowed Kuwait to take its place.
Pressure groups and diplomats celebrated Syria's exit, saying Damascus had no right to have a seat on the organisation designed to protect human rights while it was orchestrating a crackdown on political dissent that has claimed at least 850 lives.
The council is criticised for having well-documented abusers such as China, Saudi Arabia and Cuba as members. Analysts say the efforts by some western, Asian and Arab states to block Syria show that the forum is cleaning up its act.
Susan Rice, the United States envoy to the UN, said the council is moving "in a more positive direction". Juliette de Rivero, a Geneva-based analyst with Human Rights Watch, said it could no longer accept countries "that are committing those types of abuses".
Rights groups started campaigning against Syria's candidacy months before the uprising began in the southern city of Deraa in mid-March.
Western diplomats pressured Damascus to withdraw. Last week, Syria's UN envoy, Bashar Ja'afari, announced it had swapped slots with Kuwait and would run in 2014 instead. The switch was only "rescheduling the timing of our candidacy", he added.
After Syria's exit, rights' monitors approve of most candidates running for 15 vacant seats.
Kuwait has replaced Syria, joining India, the Philippines and Indonesia in a vote for four vacant Asian seats. Benin, Botswana, Congo and Burkina Faso are expected to win the four uncontested African seats and begin their three-year council terms next month.
The rest of the candidates hail from the UN's three other regional groupings - Latin America and the Caribbean, Eastern Europe and Western Europe and others - which typically get cleaner bills of health from rights' monitors.
The UN's Human Rights Council was created in 2006 to replace its discredited predecessor, the Commission on Human Rights, but is criticised for being dominated by non-democratic states that unfairly target Israel while granting a free pass to violators such as Sri Lanka.
Analysts point to the diplomatic manoeuvring that secured Syria's withdrawal and the UN General Assembly's decision to suspend Libya's membership of the council in March as evidence that standards are improving.
In recent months, the 47-nation council has begun investigating atrocities in Libya and Ivory Coast and passed a resolution urging Syrian officials to release detainees and allow peaceful protests.
Washington's envoy to Geneva, Eileen Chamberlain Donahoe, said the decision to appoint an investigator into Iranian abuses in March was a "seminal moment" for the forum, a long-awaited response to political repression following the disputed election of 2009.
Paula Schriefer, an analyst for the liberty watchdog, Freedom House, said: "We've seen more positive developments this year than in the first four years of the council combined, with fast action in rapidly-emerging situations like Libya and Syria, and finally making a strong stand on Iran, which has seen ongoing violations."
Analysts praise US President Barack Obama for ending America's boycott and joining the forum in 2009. Washington has been "engaged in a cross-regional way; it doesn't lead the charge on every issue," said Peggy Hicks, an advocate for Human Rights Watch.
Developing countries such as Mauritius, Argentina, Mexico, Chile and the Maldives have "become unconditional supporters of robust action by the council" after emerging from domestic human rights struggles, Ms Rivero said.
But not everyone sees progress in Geneva. Steven Groves, an analyst for a US-based think-tank, the Heritage Foundation, said the council still has serious flaws because of "extremely dubious" hard-line regimes that use it to bash Israel.
"You have to have people getting gunned down in the streets before a country's membership on the Human Rights Council is called into question," Mr Groves said. "How can the replacement of Syria with Kuwait be seen as anything but the most marginal of improvements?"
Ms Hicks said the Arab Spring had brought "little signals, but not the sea-change that's needed" from Arab envoys. She urged Egypt to advance the spirit of the popular revolt and effect change in the Arab League and the Organisation of the Islamic Conference.
Analysts agree that the election process remains a major problem for the council. Candidates are selected by horse-trading within regional groups, which often put up uncontested slates to ensure victory for all their candidates.
Tomorrow's election has such "clean slates" for three of the regional groups. The 192-nation General Assembly will effectively rubber-stamp the Asian, African and Western European runners and only have a choice in Eastern Europe and Latin America and the Caribbean.
Ms Hicks called for "truly competitive elections" to encourage better candidates. Mr Groves said the forum also needs membership standards "so countries like Cuba, China, Libya, Syria and Saudi Arabia are not allowed to sit on the council".
jreinl@thenational.ae
Fighter profiles
Gabrieli Pessanha (Brazil)
Reigning Abu Dhabi World Pro champion in the 95kg division, virtually unbeatable in her weight class. Known for her pressure game but also dangerous with her back on the mat.
Nathiely de Jesus, 23, (Brazil)
Two-time World Pro champion renowned for her aggressive game. She is tall and most feared by her opponents for both her triangles and arm-bar attacks.
Thamara Ferreira, 24, (Brazil)
Since her brown belt days, Ferreira has been dominating the 70kg, in both the World Pro and the Grand Slams. With a very aggressive game.
Samantha Cook, 32, (Britain)
One of the biggest talents coming out of Europe in recent times. She is known for a highly technical game and bringing her A game to the table as always.
Kendall Reusing, 22, (USA)
Another young gun ready to explode in the big leagues. The Californian resident is a powerhouse in the -95kg division. Her duels with Pessanha have been highlights in the Grand Slams.
Martina Gramenius, 32, (Sweden)
Already a two-time Grand Slam champion in the current season. Gramenius won golds in the 70kg, in both in Moscow and Tokyo, to earn a spot in the inaugural Queen of Mats.
Naga
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UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
The smuggler
Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple.
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.
Khouli conviction
Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.
For sale
A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.
- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico
- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000
- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
Test
Director: S Sashikanth
Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan
Star rating: 2/5
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
Hotel Silence
Auður Ava Ólafsdóttir
Pushkin Press
MEYDAN CARD
6.30pm Al Maktoum Challenge Round-1 Group One (PA) US$65,000 (Dirt) 1,600m
7.05pm Handicap (TB) $175,000 (Turf) 1,200m
7.40pm UAE 2000 Guineas Trial Conditions (TB) $100,000 (D) 1,600m
8.15pm Singspiel Stakes Group Two (TB) $250,000 (T) 1,800m
8.50pm Handicap (TB) $135,000 (T) 1,600m
9.25pm Al Maktoum Challenge Round-1 Group Two (TB) $350,000 (D) 1,600m
10pm Dubai Trophy Conditions (TB) $100,000 (T) 1,200m
10.35pm Handicap (TB) $135,000 (T) 1,600m
The National selections:
6.30pm AF Alwajel
7.05pm Ekhtiyaar
7.40pm First View
8.15pm Benbatl
8.50pm Zakouski
9.25pm: Kimbear
10pm: Chasing Dreams
10.35pm: Good Fortune
Tips for taking the metro
- set out well ahead of time
- make sure you have at least Dh15 on you Nol card, as there could be big queues for top-up machines
- enter the right cabin. The train may be too busy to move between carriages once you're on
- don't carry too much luggage and tuck it under a seat to make room for fellow passengers
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
Building boom turning to bust as Turkey's economy slows
Deep in a provincial region of northwestern Turkey, it looks like a mirage - hundreds of luxury houses built in neat rows, their pointed towers somewhere between French chateau and Disney castle.
Meant to provide luxurious accommodations for foreign buyers, the houses are however standing empty in what is anything but a fairytale for their investors.
The ambitious development has been hit by regional turmoil as well as the slump in the Turkish construction industry - a key sector - as the country's economy heads towards what could be a hard landing in an intensifying downturn.
After a long period of solid growth, Turkey's economy contracted 1.1 per cent in the third quarter, and many economists expect it will enter into recession this year.
The country has been hit by high inflation and a currency crisis in August. The lira lost 28 per cent of its value against the dollar in 2018 and markets are still unconvinced by the readiness of the government under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to tackle underlying economic issues.
The villas close to the town centre of Mudurnu in the Bolu region are intended to resemble European architecture and are part of the Sarot Group's Burj Al Babas project.
But the development of 732 villas and a shopping centre - which began in 2014 - is now in limbo as Sarot Group has sought bankruptcy protection.
It is one of hundreds of Turkish companies that have done so as they seek cover from creditors and to restructure their debts.
Indika
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In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
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