Candidate For President Of The UN Human Rights Council, Indonesia Promotes Impartial, Objective And Transparent Leadership

Illustration of the UN Human Rights Council. (Twitter/@ONUGeneve)

JAKARTA - Indonesia carries the leadership priorities that are implicit, objective and transparent in the nomination of the President of the United Nations Human Rights Council for the 2026 period, said the diplomat of the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, regarding Indonesia's candidacy at the UN's highest agency regarding human rights.

Indonesia, which is a member of the UN Human Rights Council for the 2024-2026 term of service, plans to run as President of the Human Rights Council whose election will be held next month with the elected president effective from January 1, 2026.

"Indonesia carries the theme "A Presidency for All", with priority: implicit, objective, transparent leadership, strengthening dialogue and consensus, efficiency and rationalization of the work of the Human Rights Council, strengthening technical cooperation, and bringing perspectives to developing countries and Asia Pacific," explained Spokesperson I of the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Yvonne. Leave to VOI.id, Thursday (27/11).

Yvonne further explained, "The President of the 2026 Human Rights Council will come from the Asia Pacific region. Thus, elections will be held within the Asia Pacific Group (APG) and the results will be submitted at the Organizational Session of the Human Rights Council on December 8, 2025."

To support this candidacy, Indonesia took an approach to the Asian Pacific country that is members of the APG in Geneva.

In addition, Indonesia is also approaching members of the Human Rights Council. There are 47 member countries of the Human Rights Council from various regions.

"Indonesia is also garnering support from OIC member countries," said Yvonne.

The diplomat, who has served in the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Indonesia to the United Nations in New York, said, "The President of the UN Human Rights Council is always held by the Permanent Vice of the country running for President in Geneva."

Currently, the Permanent Representative of the Republic of Indonesia/The Ambassador of Extraordinary Plenipotentiary for the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Indonesia to the United Nations, WTO and Other International Organizations in Geneva is held by Ambassador Sidharto R. Suryodipuro.

"If APG fails to agree on one single candidate, the presidential election will be carried out by voting in early January 2026 by 47 members of the 2026 Human Rights Council, closed ballistic. Presidential determination is determined by a simple majority (winning) of 24 votes," concluded Spokesperson I of the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

It is known that Indonesia was re-elected as a member of the UN Human Rights Council for the sixth time in an election held on October 10, 2023.

In particular, in the election, Indonesia had the highest votes, in which Indonesia pocketed 186 votes out of a total of 192 votes, as well as the highest votes in the history of Indonesia's candidacy at the UN Human Rights Council.

Previously, Indonesia was listed as a member of the UN Human Rights Council for the period 2006-2007, 2007-2010, 2011-2014, 2015-2017 and 2020-2022.