Funferal

Arbour as UNHCHR

According to the latest IFEX bulletin, Louise Arbour has been appointed the new UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. I saw Arbour speak in 1998 or 1999 when she was still Chief Prosecutor at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, and she was very impressive at the time – her appointment has been welcomed by Human Rights Watch. She replaces, of course, the Argentinian Sergio Vieira de Mello who died in Iraq late last year. de Mello was appointed to succeed Mary Robinson, being seen as more acceptable to the US administration than Robinson – it will be interesting to see how Arbour fares.