Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Mohamed Asim has, on Saturday, departed to Geneva, Switzerland, to take part in the High-Level Segment of the Human Rights Council.

The high-level segment of the United Nations Human Rights Council is to be held in Geneva from February 27 to March 3, 2017.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Maldives, taking a mandatory break from the council Maldives " will be contesting for the membership for the year 2018-2020." Maldives was elected as a member for a term of three years in 2011, and again in 2014.

According to its rules, members are not eligible for immediate re-election after serving two consecutive years. The U.N. Human Rights Council consists of 47 member countries.

Minister Asim, who is the head of the Maldives' delegation, will make a statement at the 34th session of the U.N. Human Rights Council, on Monday. 

Director of Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Shahiya Ali Manik accompanied the Minister.

Former President Mohamed Nasheed was recently in Geneva, to participate in the 9th annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy, where he received the 2017 Courage Award.

Noting that some of the leaders who are to attend the U.N. Human Rights Council are "thugs, thieves and murderers," Nasheed, a strong critic of incumbent President Abdulla Yameen and his policies, called on members of the Geneva Summit to work together to "subvert" such regimes.