United Nations: The UN Security Council yesterday rejected a US-drafted resolution on imposing an arms embargo and sanctions on South Sudan, now in its fourth year of war.
The measure garnered only seven votes in favour in the 15-member council, while eight countries including Russia, China and Japan abstained.
Nine votes and no veto are required for resolutions to be adopted in the council.
The United States, backed by Britain and France, had argued that cutting off the arms flow was urgently needed following UN warnings of a risk of mass atrocities. But Russia, China, Japan, Malaysia, Venezuela and more importantly the three African council members — Angola, Egypt and Senegal — were not swayed and they all abstained.
Setback for US
“History is going to be a very harsh judge of their decision,” US Ambassador Samantha Power told the council after the vote, arguing that those who declined to support the measure offered no alternative course to try to end the bloodshed.
The outcome of vote was a setback for the United States, which helped South Sudan gain independence in 2011.
