By Bayram Altug
GENEVA
The 40th Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council is expected to attract a high level of participation.
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu will attend the meeting scheduled to be held in Switzerland’s Geneva on Feb. 25-27.
The U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet will address the meeting.
Cavusoglu will also address at the opening day of the council meeting.
Tunisian President Beji Caid Essebsi, President of the Democratic Republic of Congo Felix Tshisekedi, Yemeni Prime Minister Muin Abdulmelik and Fijian Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama will also be among the speakers at the meeting.
Speaking to Anadolu Agency, President of the UN’s Human Rights Council Coly Seck said: “We hope that the council will address all important human rights issues in the world.”
“We have to discuss issues like terrorism, child trafficking, social and economic rights,” Seck said.
When asked whether there will be special sessions on Yemen, Myanmar and Uighur community in China, he said: “For now we don’t know if we have special session on these issues because special sessions depend on members, they have to introduce the demand but what is sure that we will not forget any important human rights issues in the world.”
When asked if he expects a session on slain journalist Jamal Khashoggi, Seck said the issue is not on the agenda and that this “depends on the members, if they want to take up the issue”.
Khashoggi, a contributor to The Washington Post, was killed at the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2.
Founded in 2006, the Human Rights Council is an inter-governmental body within the UN system made up of 47 states responsible for the promotion and protection of all human rights around the globe, according to its website. Turkey has an observer status in the council.
