US asks African countries to condemn invasion of Ukraine: “We are not asking you to choose sides” – Lusa

(blackconservativeboogeyman.com)

The US on Thursday (March 2) urged African countries to roundly condemn the Russian invasion of Ukraine, a day after 16 of those countries abstained or voted against a resolution to that effect at the United Nations General Assembly.

“We are not asking you to choose sides. We are asking Africans to join us in choosing the principles I’ve discussed, in choosing people who are now suffering from this assault.. (…). These include sovereignty, territorial integrity, peaceful resolution of disputes, protection of civilians,” said Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Mary Catherine “Molly” Phee at a digital press briefing^[1].

In the early hours of February 24, Russia launched a military offensive in Ukraine on three fronts, with ground forces and bombing of several cities. Kiev authorities have so far counted more than 2,000 civilian deaths, including children, and, according to the UN, the attacks have already caused more than a million refugees to flee to Poland, Hungary, Moldova, Romania and other countries.

Among the African countries that have officially condemned the war are Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa, Malawi, Cameroon or Ethiopia, which reacted with varying degrees of vehemence, while Madagascar said it did not want to comment on the conflict.

On Wednesday, the UN General Assembly passed a resolution condemning the Russian invasion of Ukraine and demanding the immediate withdrawal of Russian troops.

Of the 193 member states of the United Nations, 141 supported the text and only five voted against: Russia itself, Belarus, Syria, North Korea and Eritrea, one of the most hermetic regimes in the world.

Among the 54 African countries, 28 voted in favour, and 16 abstained: Algeria, Angola, Burundi, Central African Republic, Republic of Congo, Madagascar, Mali, Mozambique, Namibia, Senegal, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Uganda, Tanzania and Zimbabwe.

Portuguese-speaking Guinea-Bissau and Equatorial Guinea, as well as Burkina Faso, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Guinea-Conakry, Morocco, Cameroon and Togo did not cast a vote.

Shortly after the vote, South Africa, an ally of Russia in the bloc of so-called emerging powers BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa), explained its abstention, saying that the resolution “does not create an environment conducive for diplomacy, dialogue and mediation”.

“African votes were very important in that – in that discussion and in that vote. Why were they important? They were important to send a message that this aggression is unacceptable in Ukraine and anywhere else in the world,” Molly Phee said on Thursday.

“We believe that it is critical at this moment in time that the entire international community demonstrates unity and speaks with one voice against this aggression and in support of principles, timeless principles,” the US official said.

References

1. ^{^} digital press briefing (www.state.gov)