Fresh batch of UN Human Rights Council members for 2027-29 selected

The new members of the United Nations Human Rights Council for the period 2027-29 have been chosen by the UN General Assembly in New York. Germany, Ireland, Brazil, Burundi, the Dominican Republic, Ghana, Japan, Kuwait, Jordan, Nepal, Nigeria, the Republic of Moldova, Ukraine, Uruguay and Zambia were elected to the Geneva-based body by majority vote on Tuesday.

Germany and Ireland had stood for the two seats allocated to Western Europe. As there were no rival candidates, the vote had been considered a certainty. Germany will rejoin the council after gaining 163 votes, well above the required majority.

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said after the vote that Germany would use its membership "to strengthen the Human Rights Council together with [its] partners and to improve the protection of human rights worldwide." Germany will be a member of the body - founded 20 years ago - for the sixth time.

It was most recently a member of the Human Rights Council from 2023 to 2025. Germany had failed in its bid for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council at the start of June, losing out to EU member states Portugal and Austria in the corresponding vote. This had prompted a debate about the value of Germany's large financial contributions to the UN.