Fiji's Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva, Nazhat Shameem has been elected the new Vice President of the United Nations Human Rights Council.
Ambassador Shameem was endorsed by the Asia Pacific group of states.
The position requires chairing of a number of sessions at the Human Rights Council in 2019, which means that Khan will be a member of the Human Rights Council Bureau in 2019.
The former High Court Judge said her appointment is a great achievement for the Pacific.
Khan thanked the Group for its confidence in her and in Fiji while accepting the endorsement.
She says this representation is significant particularly given that it’s the first time for a small island state from the Pacific to sit as a member of the Council and to also take the position of Vice President of the Council.
Fiji was one of 18 countries elected to the UN Human Rights Council in October, for a for a three‑year term that will run from this year until 2021.
[Source: RNZ]
