In case Cyprus is elected to the UN Human Rights Council (HRC), it would be an opportunity for the country to strengthen its diplomatic footprint internationally, with participation in one of the most important bodies of the UN system, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Constantinos Kombos, told CNA.
Kombos went to New York on Sunday as part of efforts for the promotion of the Republic of Cyprus’ candidacy for election to the UN Human Rights Council (HRC), for the period 2025-27.
According to a press release of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kombos will be present at the special election process that will take place on Wednesday, October 9, at the UN headquarters, during which the UN member states will elect the new members by secret ballot.
The Republic of Cyprus is running for the first time for election to the Human Rights Council, for the period 2025-27, the Minister said in his statements to CNA.
‘It is an opportunity for Cyprus to strengthen its diplomatic footprint internationally, by participating in
one of the most important bodies of the UN system’, he said.
He noted that, the actions to receive support for Cyprus’ candidacy have been intensified recently. ‘It was one of the issues raised in meetings I had with my counterparts a few days ago during the High-Level Week of the 79th UN General Assembly in New York’, he added.
He said that in the HRC, which consists of 47 UN member states elected by all UN Member States on a periodic basis and for a three-year term, ‘contemporary challenges concerning human rights are discussed, including human rights violations internationally’.
Kombos noted that in case Cyprus was elected to the HRC, ‘it will have the opportunity to actively participate in the discussions and decision-making on a multitude of issues that concern the HRC and at the same time the international community’. ‘It will also have the opportunity to highlight issues that it considers they have their own importance in the context of the protection and strengthening of human rights, such as the r
ights of the child, gender equality and women’s rights, the rights of vulnerable groups, the protection of cultural heritage, etc.’, he added.
According to the press release by the Foreign Ministry, Kombos, during his stay in New York, is to hold ‘an intensive round of contacts to present and promote the candidacy of our country, which is claiming for the first time election to such an important body of the UN’.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. Repeated rounds of UN-led peace talks have so far failed to yield results. The latest round of negotiations, in July 2017 at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana ended inconclusively.
Source: Cyprus News Agency