If approved by the UN General Assembly (UNGA), Prince Zeid will replace the current High Commissioner for Human Rights Navanethem Pillay, who took up the post on Sept. 1, 2008.
Pillay’s mandate has been renewed for two years beginning on September 1, 2012 and is due to step down on August 31, 2014.
Prince Zeid is currently Jordan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, a post he held previously from 2000 to 2007.
From 2007 to 2010, Prince Zeid served as Jordan’s Ambassador to the United States and non-resident Ambassador to Mexico. He also served as Jordan’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations, with the rank of Ambassador, from 1996 to 2000.
the post of High Commissioner for Human Rights was established by UNGA in 1993 to promote and protect the effective enjoyment by all people of all civil, cultural, economic, political and social rights, including the right to development.
The UNGA resolution stipulates that the High Commissioner should function as the UN official with principal responsibility for global human rights efforts.
The High Commissioner is appointed by the UN Secretary-General and approved by UNGA, with due regard to geographical rotation.
Appointments are at the level of Under-Secretary-General, for a fixed term of four years, with the possibility of one renewal for another fixed term of four years.