NEW YORK: Russia has vetoed the United Nations Security Council resolution, drafted by France and UAE, on sanctions against Mali, TASS has reported. Thirteen Security Council members voted in favour of a resolution to extend the UN sanctions and independent monitoring for another year. Russia cast a veto, while China abstained from voting on Wednesday.
The sanction regime, which has been in place since 2017, was proposed to be extended until August 31, 2024. Russia is adamant that this extension should be the final one. Before the vote, Russian Permanent Representative to the UN Vasily Nebenzya stated that it would be counterproductive to adopt the resolution proposed by the United Arab Emirates and France "not only in terms of ensuring the efficiency of the sanction regime but also for the peace process in Mali" given Bamako's official request to lift the sanctions regime, as reported by TASS, the Russian news agency.
Later on Wednesday, the Security Council's 15 members cast votes on the two draft resolutions. To pass, a resolution required at least nine votes in favour and the absence of a veto from China, France, Britain, Russia, or the United States.
Under the current regime of restrictions imposed on Mali, the sanction list may include individuals and organizations responsible for actions jeopardizing peace, security or stability in Mali, in particular those who are participating in hostilities in violation of the 2015 peace agreement, hindering its implementation, hampering humanitarian assistance, violating international humanitarian law, and involved in recruiting children.
Those put on the blacklist are banned from visiting foreign countries and their assets and economic resources were frozen, TASS reported.