PH Completes Term as UN’s Human Rights Council Vice President 

Permanent Representative to the United Nations and Other International Organizations in Geneva Evan P. Garcia shakes hands with outgoing UN Human Rights Council (HRC) President for the 12th cycle Ambassador Vojislav Šuc of Slovenia (left photo) and incoming UN HRC President for the 13th cycle Ambassador Coly Seck of Senegal (right photo) during the HRC’s year-end organizational meeting held at the Palais des Nations in Geneva on 03 December 2018. (Geneva PM photos)

GENEVA 14 December 2018 – Permanent Representative to the United Nations and Other International Organizations in Geneva Evan P. Garcia will complete his one-year term as Vice President of the UN’s Human Rights Council (HRC) Bureau in its 12th cycle by 31 December 2018.

Ambassador Garcia was elected by the Council by acclamation last year to the HRC Vice Presidency post as regional representative of the 55-member Asia Pacific Group.

“It was a deep honor and privilege to represent the Philippines to serve the Council at this time when multilateralism is at the crossroads. Guided by the principles of transparency, inclusiveness and consensus, I strongly believe that the Council is stronger and can work together collectively and effectively to sustain the core principles and common goals to promote the human rights of all,” Ambassador Garcia remarked. 

As Bureau member, Ambassador Garcia chaired over 45 meetings in the HRC and its mechanisms, primarily, the Human Rights Council sessions that occur thrice a year, the Working Group Sessions of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR WG) that also take place thrice a year, and the informal consultations on the efforts for enhancing the Council’s efficiency.

The Council adopted by consensus the Presidential Statement on “enhancing the efficiency of the Human Rights Council, including addressing financial and time constraints” during the Council’s year-end Organizational Meeting, which took place on 03 December 2018 at the Palais des Nations in Geneva.

The agreement among delegations in Geneva covers efficiency measures, including a three-year multi-annual program of work. It manifests the Council’s continuous and collective efforts to promote efficiency measures, rationalization of initiatives, and the use of information technology.

The 12th cycle of the HRC Bureau is composed of President Vojislav Šuc of Slovenia for the East European Group and three other Vice Presidents apart from Ambassador Garcia, namely, François Xavier Ngarambe of Rwanda for the African Group, Marta Maurás Perez of Chile for Latin American and Caribbean Group/GRULAC, and Cristobal Gonzalez-Aller Jurado of Spain for the Western European and Other Group/WEOG. Ambassador Jurado replaced Antje Leendertse of Germany, who ended her term as Permanent Representative of Germany in Geneva during the year.  END

For more information, visit www.genevapm.dfa.gov.ph or https://www.facebook.com/PHinGenevaUN/.