The US withdrawal from the United Nations Human Rights Council could end up benefiting American rivals including China, experts have warned.
After months of threatening to leave the United Nations Human Rights Council, US ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley blasted the 47-member body as she broke ties on Tuesday. “Human rights abusers continue to serve on, and be elected to, the council,” she said. “It continues politicising scapegoating of countries with positive human rights records in an attempt to distract from the abusers in its ranks.”
She called the UNHRC “a cesspool of political bias” but with mainly anti-American and anti-Israeli leanings that drove Washington out.
The US withdrawal from the UNHRC did not surprise experts, who saw it as another rejectionist act by the presidency of Donald Trump against the United Nations. But while the council’s record is controversial and known for meek performance on human rights since it was established in 2006, the US exit could backfire by helping the same adversaries that Ms Haley criticised.
____________
Read more:
Trump's human rights council pullout imperils the vulnerable and persecuted
United States quits UN Human Rights Council
____________
"This is ultimately a win for China and other countries that would like to roll back the UN's human rights work" Richard Gowan, a UN expert at the London-based European Council on Foreign Relations told The National. He predicted that Beijing will now "corral developing countries in Geneva to table resolutions undermining Western human rights positions."
"The US was always going to quit sooner or later,” he said but the move now is “a let-down to US allies like Britain and the Netherlands which worked very hard to promote reforms that would keep the Americans in the Council.”
With US gone, Mr Gowan argued that UNHRC now will probably focus on Israeli actions even more than before. While “pulling out may be a short-term feel-good gesture for the Trump administration, it weakens its overall position at the UN," he added.
The move is not unprecedented. The George W Bush administration refused to join the council upon its creation in 2006, and it wasn’t until 2009 under Barack Obama that Washington joined.
Robert Satloff, the executive director of The Washington Institute for Near East Policy, framed President Trump's decision as a response to the "absurdity” of the council’s record.
"Under normal circumstances, the United States should always be willing to roll up its sleeves and work from within to seek reform of international agencies. But the Human Rights Council has truly excelled in proving itself impervious to the most reasonable, rational and modest changes to remove structural bias and promote human rights more fairly and equitably around the world," Mr Satloff told The National.
“Like the Bush Administration’s before, it is an understandable response to that absurdity,” he said, adding that he hoped “this move is complemented by a more aggressive US effort in other arena to advance human rights and defend the vulnerable, including those seeking asylum from tyranny, genocide and other horrors.”
The move came amid speculation that the US is preparing to announce a peace plan to jump start Israeli-Palestinian negotiations. Mr Trump’s adviser and son-in-law Jared Kushner, along with his peace envoy Jason Greenblatt, just concluded a trip to Jordan where they discussed these efforts. Showing strong backing for Israel has been a hallmark for the Trump team.
But Mr Satloff said that “while the move reinforces the idea that the Trump administration is instinctively supportive of Israel, I don’t think the US withdrawal will have much impact, either positive or negative, on the traditional Mideast Peace diplomacy.”
More from Armen Sarkissian
Director: Jon Favreau
Starring: Donald Glover, Seth Rogen, John Oliver
Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
What sanctions would be reimposed?
Under ‘snapback’, measures imposed on Iran by the UN Security Council in six resolutions would be restored, including:
- An arms embargo
- A ban on uranium enrichment and reprocessing
- A ban on launches and other activities with ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons, as well as ballistic missile technology transfer and technical assistance
- A targeted global asset freeze and travel ban on Iranian individuals and entities
- Authorisation for countries to inspect Iran Air Cargo and Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines cargoes for banned goods
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
OPTA'S PREDICTED TABLE
1. Liverpool 101 points
2. Manchester City 80
3. Leicester 67
4. Chelsea 63
5. Manchester United 61
6. Tottenham 58
7. Wolves 56
8. Arsenal 56
9. Sheffield United 55
10. Everton 50
11. Burnley 49
12. Crystal Palace 49
13. Newcastle 46
14. Southampton 44
15. West Ham 39
16. Brighton 37
17. Watford 36
18. Bournemouth 36
19. Aston Villa 32
20. Norwich City 29
ARM%20IPO%20DETAILS
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EShare%20price%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Undisclosed%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ETarget%20raise%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%248%20billion%20to%20%2410%20billion%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EProjected%20valuation%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%2460%20billion%20to%20%2470%20billion%20(Source%3A%20Bloomberg)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ELead%20underwriters%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Barclays%2C%20Goldman%20Sachs%20Group%2C%20JPMorgan%20Chase%20and%20Mizuho%20Financial%20Group%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
World Cricket League Division 2
In Windhoek, Namibia - Top two teams qualify for the World Cup Qualifier in Zimbabwe, which starts on March 4.
UAE fixtures
Thursday February 8, v Kenya; Friday February 9, v Canada; Sunday February 11, v Nepal; Monday February 12, v Oman; Wednesday February 14, v Namibia; Thursday February 15, final
The biog
Favourite films: Casablanca and Lawrence of Arabia
Favourite books: Start with Why by Simon Sinek and Good to be Great by Jim Collins
Favourite dish: Grilled fish
Inspiration: Sheikh Zayed's visionary leadership taught me to embrace new challenges.
The Bio
Favourite holiday destination: Either Kazakhstan or Montenegro. I’ve been involved in events in both countries and they are just stunning.
Favourite book: I am a huge of Robin Cook’s medical thrillers, which I suppose is quite apt right now. My mother introduced me to them back home in New Zealand.
Favourite film or television programme: Forrest Gump is my favourite film, that’s never been up for debate. I love watching repeats of Mash as well.
Inspiration: My late father moulded me into the man I am today. I would also say disappointment and sadness are great motivators. There are times when events have brought me to my knees but it has also made me determined not to let them get the better of me.
Sarfira
Director: Sudha Kongara Prasad
Starring: Akshay Kumar, Radhika Madan, Paresh Rawal
Rating: 2/5
More on animal trafficking
Zayed Sustainability Prize
Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
More on animal trafficking
Paatal Lok season two
Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy
Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong
Rating: 4.5/5
Yuki Means Happiness
Alison Jean Lester
John Murray
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Other ways to buy used products in the UAE
UAE insurance firm Al Wathba National Insurance Company (AWNIC) last year launched an e-commerce website with a facility enabling users to buy car wrecks.
Bidders and potential buyers register on the online salvage car auction portal to view vehicles, review condition reports, or arrange physical surveys, and then start bidding for motors they plan to restore or harvest for parts.
Physical salvage car auctions are a common method for insurers around the world to move on heavily damaged vehicles, but AWNIC is one of the few UAE insurers to offer such services online.
For cars and less sizeable items such as bicycles and furniture, Dubizzle is arguably the best-known marketplace for pre-loved.
Founded in 2005, in recent years it has been joined by a plethora of Facebook community pages for shifting used goods, including Abu Dhabi Marketplace, Flea Market UAE and Arabian Ranches Souq Market while sites such as The Luxury Closet and Riot deal largely in second-hand fashion.
At the high-end of the pre-used spectrum, resellers such as Timepiece360.ae, WatchBox Middle East and Watches Market Dubai deal in authenticated second-hand luxury timepieces from brands such as Rolex, Hublot and Tag Heuer, with a warranty.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
