UN Extends Volker Turk’s Term Despite US Opposition

By Staff, Agencies

The United Nations General Assembly overwhelmingly approved a second four-year term for UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk, despite US calls to delay the vote and opposition from the "Israeli" occupation entity.

The decision extends Turk's mandate until 2030, following a vote that underscored growing divisions between Washington and the UN over the future of multilateral institutions and the role of the global rights body.

The 193-member UN General Assembly voted 144-10, with 13 abstentions, to approve Secretary-General Antonio Guterres' recommendation for a second four-year term for Volker Turk, rejecting a Russian proposal to limit his mandate to the end of 2026.

Turk, who has served since 2022, will become the first UN human rights chief to complete two full four-year terms since the office was established in 1993.

Ahead of the vote, the United States urged member states to postpone the decision, warning it would reassess its engagement and funding for the UN if Volker Turk's mandate was renewed.

The "Israeli" occupation also opposed the extension, but the proposal secured overwhelming backing from the General Assembly, including support from the European Union, African and Latin American countries, and China.