Russia, China block U.N. sanctions over elections
UNITED NATIONS — Russia and China blocked the U.N. Security Council on Tuesday from supporting new sanctions on Mali for its military leaders’ decision to delay next month’s elections until 2026, a blow to the restoration of democracy in the troubled West African nation.
Kenya’s U.N. ambassador, Martin Kimani, said after closed-door discussions on the proposed French-drafted statement endorsing the sanctions imposed by the West African regional group ECOWAS he was “disappointed” that the council couldn’t agree on what he called a “relatively mild” press statement.
Kimani said the Security Council’s failure to support ECOWAS’ actions spurred its three African members — Kenya, Ghana and Gabon — to speak to reporters to fully back the regional bloc’s position, “including the imposition of sanctions on the military authorities in Mali to ensure an expedited transition to constitutional rule.”
Mali has struggled to contain an Islamic extremist insurgency since 2012. Extremist rebels were forced from power in Mali’s northern cities with the help of a French-led military operation, but they regrouped in the desert and began launching attacks on the Malian army and its allies. Insecurity has worsened with attacks on civilians and U.N. peacekeepers.
In August 2020, Malian President Boubacar Ibrahim Keita was overthrown in a coup that included Col. Assimi Goita. Last June, Goita was sworn in as president of a transitional government after carrying out his second coup in nine months. The junta initially had agreed to hold a new election in late February but the military leadership now says the presidential ballot will not take place until 2026 because of deepening insecurity across the country, giving Goita four more years in power.
ECOWAS leaders responded Sunday, calling Goita’s delayed timetable “totally unacceptable” and saying it “simply means that an illegitimate military transition government will take the Malian people hostage during the next five years.”
They imposed new sanctions, suspending most commerce and financial aid to Mali, closing land and air borders with other members of ECOWAS and activating the bloc’s standby force, saying it “will have to be ready for any eventuality.”