New York - BNA
The UAE yesterday has won a membership seat in the UN Human Rights Council for a three-year term to start as from early 2013. The UAE was elected in a secret ballot conducted by the UN General Assembly in which 21 candidate countries from 18 geographical groups competed for 18 vacant seats. The UAE got 184 votes, the highest vote turnout of the total votes garnered by the four winning Asian countries (Kazakhstan, Japan, Korea and Pakistan) and the second highest votes of the total 18 winners. Also Argentina, Brazil, Cote d\'Ivoire, Estonia, Ethiopia, Gabon, Germany, Ireland , Kenya , Monte Negro, Sierra Leon, the USA and Venezuela won have seats in the UN Human Rights Council. The Council shall consist of 47 Member States, which shall be elected directly and individually by secret ballot by the majority of the members of the General Assembly.