Beautiful Virgin Islands

Tuesday, Jun 03, 2025

US blocks UN vote on global ceasefire resolution

US blocks UN vote on global ceasefire resolution

The United States has blocked a vote on a UN security council resolution pushing for a truce in global conflicts to help nations better tackle the Covid-19 pandemic.

Washington's U-turn came a day after it agreed to the text, negotiators said under cover of anonymity.

"The United States cannot support the current draft," the country's delegation told the 14 other security council members on Friday, after nearly two months of difficult negotiation over the text.

Questioned over the US move, a state department official told AFP news agency that China had played a role in its decision saying it had "repeatedly blocked compromises that would have allowed the council to move forward".

The draft procedure, spearheaded by France and Tunisia, would have allowed the two countries to put it to a vote.

The latest version of the text called for a cessation of hostilities in conflict zones and a 90-day "humanitarian pause" to allow governments to better address the pandemic among those most suffering. It called on all nations to enhance coordination in battling the virus.

"In our view, the council should either proceed with a resolution limited to support for a ceasefire, or a broadened resolution that fully addresses the need for renewed member state commitment to transparency and accountability in the context of Covid-19," a US state department representative told AFP.

Unhappy with the WHO


According to diplomats, the US also had a problem with the language used in the draft to describe the World Health Organization (WHO).

It called on all nations to enhance coordination in fighting the virus and highlighted the urgent need to support all countries, as well as all relevant entities of the UN system, including specialized health agencies, and other relevant international, regional, and sub-regional organizations".

This wording, which implicitly refers to the WHO without explicitly mentioning it, was the compromise obtained from US and China on Thursday night, diplomats said. Designed to appease the US, it would appear it remained too explicit.

In April, President Donald Trump announced the US would suspend funding to the WHO, making China the largest financial supporter of the Geneva-based body.

Trump had previously accused the WHO of downplaying the seriousness of the outbreak in January in order to protect China.

Stalemate


"The US turnaround is very bad news for the UN, the security council and multilateralism," an ambassador from a security council member state told AFP.

UN secretary-general, Antonio Guterres, has been pushing for a cessation of hostilities around the world since 23 March, urging all sides in conflict to lay down arms and allow war-torn nations to combat the coronavirus.

The latest stalemate continues to leave the global peace and security body largely mute in the face of a pandemic that has killed more than 270,000 people and raised further fears for the world's most vulnerable.

Nicolas de Rivière, France's ambassador to the security council, told reporters: "I would like to continue to try to reach an agreement, if there is room for that."

His Tunisian counterpart, Kais Kaftan, said there were ongoing discussions to convince the Americans. He added that the procedure for going to a vote would be taken up again.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Harvard Urges US to Unfreeze Funds for Public Health Research
Businessman Mauled by Lion at Luxury Namibian Lodge
Researchers Consider New Destinations Beyond the U.S.
53-Year-Old Doctor Claims Biological Age of 23
Trump Struggles to Secure Trade Deals With China and Europe
Russia to Return 6,000 Corpses Under Ukraine Prisoner Swap Deal
Microsoft Lays Off Hundreds More Amid Restructuring
Harvey Weinstein’s Publicist Embraces Notoriety
Macron and Meloni Seek Unity Despite Tensions
Trump Administration Accused of Obstructing Deportation Cases
Newark Mayor Sues Over Arrest at Immigration Facility
Center-Left Candidate Projected to Win South Korean Presidency
Trump’s Tariffs Predicted to Stall Global Economic Growth
South Korea’s President-Elect Expected to Take Softer Line on Trump and North Korea
Trump’s China Strategy Remains a Geopolitical Puzzle
Ukraine Executes Long-Range Drone Strikes on Russian Airbases
Conservative Karol Nawrocki wins Poland’s presidential election
Study Identifies Potential Radicalization Risk Among Over One Million Muslims in Germany
Good news: Annalena Baerbock Elected President of the UN General Assembly
Apple Appeals EU Law Over User Data Sharing Requirements
South Africa: "First Black Bank" Collapses after Being Looted by Owners
Poland will now withdraw from the EU migration pact after pro-Trump nationalist wins Election
"That's Disgusting, Don’t Say It Again": The Trump Joke That Made the President Boil
Trump Cancels NASA Nominee Over Democratic Donations
Paris Saint-Germain's Greatest Triumph Is Football’s Lowest Point
OnlyFans for Sale: From Lockdown Lifeline to Eight-Billion-Dollar Empire
Mayor’s Security Officer Implicated | Shocking New Details Emerge in NYC Kidnapping Case
Hegseth Warns of Potential Chinese Military Action Against Taiwan
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Jamie Dimon Warns U.S. Bond Market Faces Pressure from Rising Debt
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Taylor Swift Gains Ownership of Her First Six Albums
Bangkok Ranked World's Top City for Remote Work in 2025
Satirical Sketch Sparks Political Spouse Feud in South Korea
Indonesia Quarry Collapse Leaves Multiple Dead and Missing
South Korean Election Video Pulled Amid Misogyny Outcry
Asian Economies Shift Away from US Dollar Amid Trade Tensions
Netflix Investigates Allegations of On-Set Mistreatment in K-Drama Production
US Defence Chief Reaffirms Strong Ties with Singapore Amid Regional Tensions
Vietnam Faces Strategic Dilemma Over China's Mekong River Projects
Malaysia's First AI Preacher Sparks Debate on Islamic Principles
White House Press Secretary Criticizes Harvard Funding, Advocates for Vocational Training
France to Implement Nationwide Smoking Ban in Outdoor Spaces Frequented by Children
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
Russia's Fossil Fuel Revenues Approach €900 Billion Since Ukraine Invasion
U.S. Justice Department Reduces American Bar Association's Role in Judicial Nominations
U.S. Department of Energy Unveils 'Doudna' Supercomputer to Advance AI Research
U.S. SEC Dismisses Lawsuit Against Binance Amid Regulatory Shift
Alcohol Industry Faces Increased Scrutiny Amid Health Concerns
Italy Faces Population Decline Amid Youth Emigration
×