16 African countries abstain from condemning Russia's 'illegal' annexations in Ukraine

By Osoro Nyawangah, UNITED NATIONS

The United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday October 12 issued a sweeping condemnation of Russia's attempt to annex four territories in Ukraine last month in a resolute display of global disapproval with 16 African countries abstaining from voting.

The vote was sparked by Russia's recent annexation of partially-occupied territories in Ukraine, including the Kherson, Luhansk, Donetsk, and Zaporizhzhia regions. The General Assembly in its measure demanded that Russia reverse the land grab.

The 193-member body issued its most staunch support for Ukraine yet during Wednesday's vote, which saw 143 nations condemn Russia's actions and 35 countries abstain from voting.

Only five countries voted against the resolution, one of which was Russia itself. North Korea, Belarus, Syria, and Nicaragua all led by dictator-like regimes joined the increasingly isolated nation.

The remaining 10 countries did not vote a slight, technical distinction from the abstention option.

Among the 35 countries that abstained, 16 were from Africa, including South Africa. China and India, the world’s two most populous countries, also abstained along with Pakistan and Cuba.

Other African countries that abstained from the vote are Algeria, Burundi, Central Africa Republic, Congo, Eritrea, Guinea, Mali, Mozambique and Namibia.

Others are South Sudan, Sudan, Togo, Uganda, Tanzania and Zimbabwe.  

It was a stronger response than many Western officials had expected, as well as the most robust showing of support from the UN General Assembly for Ukraine since the war began in February. 

The body has voted on four resolutions in the months since Russia invaded, including a demand for a Russian cease-fire and a measure to suspend Russia from the UN's Geneva-based Human Rights Council. 

Several nations that had previously abstained from or not voted on the prior resolutions joined the majority on Wednesday to vote "yes," including Bangladesh, Morocco, and Iraq. Among the additional surprises were Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

Ukraine’s U.N. ambassador, Sergiy Kyslytsya, called the vote “amazing” and “a historic moment.” U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield said supporters were “holding our breaths” and called it “a monumental day.” European Union Ambassador Olof Skoog called it “a great success” that sends “a resounding message to Russia that they are and remain isolated.”

During two days of speeches at the assembly’s resumed emergency special session on Ukraine speaker after speaker accused Russia of violating key principles of the United Nations Charter — respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all U.N. member nations.

There was intense lobbying by supporters of the EU-facilitated resolution ahead of Wednesday’s vote.

U.S. envoy Thomas-Greenfield told the assembly before the vote that when the United Nations was established on the ashes of World War II it was built on an idea — “that never again would one country be allowed to take another’s territory by force.”

Afterward, she told reporters the vote means “that in the eyes of the world and the United Nations, Ukraine’s borders remain the same.”

“The resolution also sends an enormously important signal to Moscow and to everyone: It does not matter if you as a nation are big or small, rich or poor, old or new. If you are a U.N. member state, your borders are your own and are protected by international law,” Thomas-Greenfield said. “They cannot be redrawn by anyone else by force.”

A key issue for the resolution’s Western backers was how many countries would support it, and the result went beyond their most optimistic expectations.

The General Assembly voted 141-5 with 35 abstentions March 2 to demand an immediate Russian cease-fire, withdrawal of all its troops and protection for all civilians. On March 24, it voted 140-5 with 38 abstentions on a resolution blaming Russia for Ukraine’s humanitarian crisis and urging an immediate cease-fire and protection for millions of civilians and the homes, schools and hospitals critical to their survival.

But the assembly voted by a far smaller margin April 7 to suspend Russia from the U.N.’s Geneva-based Human Rights Council over allegations Russian soldiers in Ukraine engaged in rights violations that the United States and Ukraine have called war crimes. That vote was 93-24 with 58 abstentions.

A 2014 resolution affirming Ukraine’s territorial integrity and declaring the referendum that led to Russia’s annexation of the Crimean Peninsula illegal was adopted by a vote of 100-11 with 58 abstentions.

Among the surprise supporters of Wednesday’s resolution were the “yes” votes from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and other members of the Gulf Cooperation Council as well as Brazil.

Russia’s U.N. ambassador, Vassily Nebenzia, had appealed to countries to vote against the resolution, calling it “a politicized and openly provocative document” and denouncing its sponsors as “unscrupulous Western blackmailers.” He expressed regret the vote was not by secret ballot, as Russia sought but the assembly rejected.

Nebenzia reiterated Russia’s claims the referendums were valid, saying “the populations of these regions do not want to return to Ukraine.”

The four countries that joined Russia in voting against the resolution were North Korea, Belarus, Syria and Nicaragua.

Ukraine’s Kyslytsya expressed profound regret that the four countries made “the wrong choice against the U.N. Charter” and urged them to reconsider their commitment to the U.N.’s principles. 

The more powerful Security Council, whose resolutions are legally binding, has been stymied on taking action on Ukraine because of Russia’s veto power, which it used Sept. 29 to block condemnation of Russia’s attempts to annex Ukrainian territory. - Africa