Jordanian for UN rights chief?

If confirmed by the 193-nation General Assembly, Prince Zeid (pictured) would succeed South African jurist Navi Pillay as the UN's High Commissioner for Human Rights.

He currently serves as Jordan's ambassador to the UN. Previously, Prince Zeid has represented Amman in the United States and Mexico. During the 1990s, he worked as a political affairs officer for UNPROFOR, the peacekeeping mission deployed in the former Yugoslavia during its bloody civil war.

Prince Zeid was once reportedly in the running for secretary general, but Ban ultimately received the post. The respected Jordanian diplomat worked extensively to help set up the International Criminal Court in The Hague.

Dina Kawar is set to succeed him as Jordan's new ambassador to the UN. That would make her the fifth female to head a delegation to the Security Council, where Jordan will hold a rotating seat through the end of 2015.

Pillay's controversial tenure

Pillay has had a controversial run as the UN's human rights chief. This week, she forcefully spoke out on the 25th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre, while Secretary-General Ban was silent.

The former South African jurist has drawn the ire of the Syrian regime, which has accused her of being "hostile." Pillay has accused Damascus of war crimes and called for the civil war to be referred to the International Criminal Court in the Hague.

Her criticism of Israel has also reportedly made her unpopular with the United States.

Pillay served a full, four-year term from 2008-2012. Her mandate was subsequently extended for another two years.

slk/jm (AP, Reuters)