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I. Organizational, administrative and other matters

Election of eighteen members of the Human Rights Council

At its resumed sixtieth session, in March 2006, the General Assembly decided to establish the Human Rights Council, based in Geneva, in replacement of the Commission on Human Rights, as a subsidiary organ of the Assembly; decided also that the Council would consist of 47 Member States, which would be elected directly and individually by secret ballot by the majority of the members of the Assembly; that the membership would be based on equitable geographical distribution, and seats would be distributed as follows among regional groups: (a) Group of African States, 13; (b) Group of Asian States, 13; (c) Group of Eastern European States, 6; (d) Group of Latin American and Caribbean States, 8; and (e) Group of Western European and other States, 7; and that the members of the Council would serve for a period of three years and would not be eligible for immediate re‑election after two consecutive terms; and decided further that the terms of membership would be staggered, and such decision would be taken for the first election by the drawing of lots, taking into consideration equitable geographical distribution (resolution 60/251).

At its resumed sixty-second session, on 21 May 2008, the General Assembly elected the following 15 members for a three-year term of office beginning on 19 June 2008: Argentina, Bahrain, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Chile, France, Gabon, Ghana, Japan, Pakistan, Republic of Korea, Slovakia, Ukraine, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Zambia (decision 62/415).

As of 19 June 2008, the Council is composed of the following members:

Angola,** Argentina,*** Azerbaijan,* Bahrain,*** Bangladesh,* Bolivia,** Bosnia and Herzegovina,** Brazil,*** Burkina Faso,*** Cameroon,* Canada,* Chile,*** China,* Cuba,* Djibouti,* Egypt,** France,*** Gabon,*** Germany,* Ghana,*** India,** Indonesia,** Italy,** Japan,*** Jordan,* Madagascar,** Malaysia,* Mauritius,* Mexico,* Netherlands,** Nicaragua,** Nigeria,* Pakistan,*** Philippines,** Qatar,** Republic of Korea,*** Russian Federation,* Saudi Arabia,* Senegal,* Slovakia,*** Slovenia,** South Africa,** Switzerland,* Ukraine,*** United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland,*** Uruguay* and Zambia.***

   *  Term of office expires on 18 June 2009.
**  Term of office expires on 18 June 2010.
***  Term of office expires on 18 June 2011

At its sixty-third session, the General Assembly will need to fill the 18 seats occupied by the countries whose term of office expires on 18 June 2009.

References for the sixtieth session (agenda item 112 (e))
References for the sixty-second session (agenda item 113 (d))

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Source: A/63/100