U.S. Push for South Sudan Arms Embargo Falls Short at U.N.

UNITED NATIONS — The United States failed on Friday to gain the votes in the United Nations^[1] needed to impose targeted sanctions and an arms embargo on South Sudan^[2], the world’s newest country, which has plunged into an ethnic conflict in which officials from the world body warn of the risks of genocide.

A United Nations Security Council resolution offered by the United States received only seven votes in favor, with eight abstentions. A resolution needs nine votes in the 15-member Council to pass, and no vetoes from any of the five permanent members.

Ambassador Samantha Power of the United States, speaking after the vote, warned that there would be a cost of imposing “no cost” on the combatants in South Sudan.

“We are very, very worried about what lies ahead, and we think it’s very important that people’s votes are on the record,” Ms. Power said. “When the U.N. is warning genocide, eight countries chose not to be counted when it mattered for the people of South Sudan.”

Critics have said the United States waited too long to propose the draft resolution, losing the support of key countries along the way.

Tens of thousands of people have died in the conflict that erupted three years ago, pitting troops loyal to the president, Salva Kiir, against his former vice president, Riek Machar. It has split the country into bitter ethnic divides. United Nations investigators have documented high^[3] levels of rape^[4] and said that more than 17,000 children have been recruited to fight. Three million people have fled their homes.

At the Security Council debate on Friday, Russia called the measure “a senseless use of the sanctions stick.”

“It would exacerbate the animosity between ethnic groups,” Russia’s deputy permanent representative, Petr Iliichev, said.

References

1. ^{^} More articles about the United Nations. (topics.nytimes.com)
2. ^{^} More articles about South Sudan. (topics.nytimes.com)
3. ^{^} documented high (www.nytimes.com)
4. ^{^} levels of rape (www.nytimes.com)