Govt Refutes Claims of Zambia’s Blacklisting from UN Human Rights Council

By Mary Kachepa

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has dismissed media reports suggesting that Zambia has been blacklisted from the United Nations Human Rights Council for alleged failure to uphold human rights standards. The Ministry clarified that the UN General Assembly has not considered nor adopted any resolution for the suspension or removal of Zambia from the Council because the country is currently not holding a seat at the Council.

Permanent Secretary in charge of International Relations and Cooperation, Etambuyu Gundersen, stated that Zambia intends to contest for a seat on the Council at the UN General Assembly elections in 2026 under the African States Region quota for SADC.

Ms. Gundersen told journalists at a media briefing hosted by the Ministry of Information and Media in Lusaka that the Special Rapporteur on freedom of opinion and expression is expected in the country on January 19 at the invitation of the government.

She noted that Zambia was among the inaugural members to serve on the Human Rights Council when it was established from 2006 to 2008.

Ms. Gundersen explained that the Human Rights Council is an intergovernmental body under the United Nations that comprises 47 member states elected by a majority vote of the UN General Assembly to serve for three years on a rotational basis. She further explained that countries are not eligible for immediate re-election after serving two consecutive terms.

Ms. Gundersen described as false an article published by the Daily Nation Newspaper that the United Nations has sanctioned Zambia for rights violations. She advised that while freedom of expression is a constitutional right, it must be exercised within the limits and confines of the law.