SA stance slated in UN
UKRAINE: KYIV LAYS INTO NEUTRALITY ON RUSSIAN AGGRESSION Resolution at UN does not proceed to vote due to lack of support.
Kyiv ambassador to the United Nations (UN) General Assembly, Sergiy Kyslytsya, has slammed South Africa and its neutral stance on Russia’s war in Ukraine which has claimed hundreds of lives and forced at least a million people to flee the country, while millions more have been displaced from their homes.
South Africa introduced a resolution titled “Humanitarian situation emanating out of the conflict in Ukraine”.
The resolution made no reference whatsoever to Russia or Vladimir Putin’s role in the invasion and war it started in February.
Sixty-seven states voted on Thursday night not to take action and voted on the South African government’s resolution.
Despite that, 50 countries gathered in the General Assembly, favoured moving to a vote on the Russian-backed South African draft and 36 abstained. But the resolution did not garner enough support to proceed to a full vote.
Ukraine’s ambassador to the UN described the failed resolution put forward by South Africa in disparaging terms.
“It’s a fresh paint on the mouldy rotten structure of the Assembly where the paint isn’t actually paint but the blood of Ukrainian children, women and defenders.
“Let’s spare the Assembly from this shame, lets prove that the Assembly is still a solid structure,” Kyslytsya said.
South Africa has stubbornly refused to condemn Russia’s actions, claiming it would not be helpful in efforts to bring Russia and Ukraine to the table for talks.
President Cyril Ramaphosa also continues to be seen as favouring Russia by speaking to his counterpart Putin.
But he has yet to have any engagements or discussions with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
South Africa also for the first time called the invasion a war after Ramaphosa blamed Nato for the conflict, while parliamentary Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula said Russia was not the only country to blame.
Speaking before the vote, South African ambassador Mathu Joyini explained that despite the success of the Ukraine-sponsored draft, the focus should be on making the humanitarian situation the immediate priority.
“It is for this reason that South Africa is of the view that right now we should be more concerned with ending the war and addressing the humanitarian plight of the people that are impacted by it.”
“Let us be clear, war has no winners. The real heroes are those that work towards peace.
“Through the last few decades, the world has continued to experience debilitating conflicts. Many of these wars have contravened the provisions of the Charter and international law,” she said.
Joyini said members should not ignore the context that gave rise to this crisis, nor should they ignore any violations of the UN Charter and international law, or divert the focus from what ought to be immediately done.
“Unfortunately, instead of placing the humanitarian crisis and our response at the centre, the political divisions in the Assembly suggest that perhaps, in the minds of some delegations, the humanitarian response is secondary to geopolitical objectives.”