Belize Abstains in U.N. Vote to Suspend Russia from Security Council

In international diplomatic news, the United Nations voted today to suspend Russia from the U.N. Security Council. According to the United Nations website and various global news outlets, the resolution received a two-thirds majority of those voting, minus abstentions, in the one hundred and ninety three member Assembly, with ninety-three nations voting in favor and twenty-four against.  Fifty-eight abstained from the process, including Belize. Other abstentions included India, Brazil, South Africa, Mexico, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Qatar, Kuwait, Iraq, Pakistan, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and Cambodia. Among those voting against were Russia, China, Cuba, North Korea, Iran, Syria, and Vietnam. The meeting marked the resumption of a special emergency session on the war in Ukraine and followed reports of violations committed by Russian forces. This past weekend, disturbing photos emerged from the city of Bucha, a suburb of the capital, Kyiv, where hundreds of civilian bodies were found in the streets and in mass graves following Russia’s withdrawal from the area. Prior to the vote, Ukrainian Ambassador urged countries to support the resolution. According to the U.N., this is not the first time that a Member State has had its membership in the Human Rights Council suspended. Libya lost its seat in 2011, following repression of protests by ruler Muammar Gaddafi, who was later overthrown. Today’s vote took place on the anniversary of the 1994 genocide in Rwanda, and the Ukrainian ambassador drew parallels with this dark page in recent history.