Human Rights Council President
Members of the Human Rights Council elect a representative among themselves to preside over their sessions. The President of the Council serves for one year and carries out the following duties:
- Chairs meetings of the Council;
- Proposes candidates for Special Procedures mandates and expert mechanisms, to be appointed by the Council;
- Appoints experts to serve on investigative bodies; this is done through ad hoc consultations and outreach to different stakeholders to seek highly qualified and impartial candidates;
- Receives and responds to correspondence from Permanent Missions and other actors; and
- Builds awareness and trust in the Human Rights Council through outreach and diplomacy.
The High Commissioner has the principal responsibility for UN-led human rights activities and is very vocal in calling out human rights violations globally.
By contrast, the President is responsible for ensuring that the Council activities are led in a respectful and constructive manner, which requires neutrality.
Current president
Ambassador Omar Zniber, President of the 18th cycle
Ambassador Omar Zniber has been the Permanent Representative of Morocco to the United Nations Office and other international organizations in Geneva since April 2018.
He was elected President of the Human Rights Council for 2024 on 10 January 2024.
Read his full biography.