UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia narrowly failed on Wednesday to win a seat on the United Nations Human Rights Council, a blow to Riyadh's efforts to boost the country's rights reputation abroad and four years after it was rejected in a 2020 bid to join the 47-member body.

Following a vote by the General Assembly, Saudi Arabia suffered a major diplomatic blow on Wednesday when it became the only competing member-state to fail to secure a seat on the UN’s top human rights committee.

Saudi Arabia was defeated for a seat in the U.N.’s premier human rights body Wednesday after a campaign by rights groups urging the world body’s members to reject its bid.