Egypt secured a spot in the United Nations Human Rights Council after winning elections that saw 26 countries compete for 9 seats, said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Ahmed Abu Zaid on Thursday.
Ambassador Ahmed Fathallah will represent Egypt in the council for the period from 2017-2021.
Abu Zaid explained that the elections were for nine slots out of 18 member-countries in the council, adding that the competition was very intense.
Egypt winning a position in the council is important as it reflects the international community’s trust in Egypt and Egypt’s commitment to its international obligations, said Abu Zaid, adding that this sends a strong message to all skeptics that condemn the status of human rights in Egypt.
Local and international non-governmental organisations have condemned reported human rights violations in Egypt in recent months. There have been a number of reports of continued rights violations inside prisons and police stations, as well as violations carried out by security forces against citizens.