Sri Lanka Abstains as UN General Assembly Extends High Commissioner's Term

28-Jul-2026

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Sri Lanka abstained from voting at the United Nations General Assembly on the resolution to extend the term of United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk by a further four years.

A total of 167 countries participated in the vote, with 13, including Sri Lanka, abstaining. The other abstaining countries were Belarus, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guyana, Iraq, New Zealand, Paraguay, Peru, South Korea, South Sudan, Suriname and Uganda.

Meanwhile, Argentina, Burkina Faso, North Korea, Israel, Mali, Nicaragua, Niger, the Russian Federation, Trinidad and Tobago, and the United States voted against the resolution.

The resolution was adopted after receiving the support of 144 countries, including China, thereby extending Volker Türk's tenure by another four years.

Türk assumed office as the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on October 17, 2022. It is noteworthy that he visited Sri Lanka within a year of the current Government assuming office.