According to the Rwandan government, the long-term solution to the present problem is largely in the hands of Russia and Ukraine.
This was said when Rwanda voted to condemn Russia’s invasion of Ukraine at the United Nations (UN) emergency extraordinary session on March 2.
A total of 141 of the UN’s 193 member nations voted in favor of the draft resolution condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, while 35 abstained and five voted against it.
Belarus, North Korea, Eritrea, and Syria were the only nations to vote against Moscow. Cuba and Nicaragua, both long-standing friends, joined China in abstaining.
“Rwanda voted in favor of this resolution to strongly support that any country’s sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity must be preserved,” said Robert Kayinamura, Minister Counsellor in Rwanda’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations.
He highlighted that the answer can only be reached via communication between parties, taking into consideration all sides’ interests, and that “the present conflict does not guarantee that it will produce peace; instead, it is likely to cause further crises and human misery.”
“Military operations should halt immediately and efforts should be made to reach a diplomatic resolution to this issue.” The key to settling this dispute lies with the Russian Federation and Ukraine. External action will only exacerbate the problem.”
He emphasized that the conversation should be characterized by the calm of interested parties in order to find a solution to the conflict and guarantee that civilians do not continue to bear the brunt of military escalation.
Rwanda has also voiced grave worry about the magnitude of humanitarian destruction and peace and security issues created by the conflict, including claims that Africans are being racially separated and refused safe escape and entry to neighboring countries.
“We urge all parties involved to facilitate unimpeded evacuation without regard for their skin color,” Kayinamura stated.
According to Alain Mukuralinda, the Deputy Government Spokesperson, as of March 1, 51 Rwandans have managed to evacuate Ukraine, out of an estimated 80 Rwandans residing in Ukraine.
On February 24, 2022, Russia started a large-scale invasion of Ukraine.
This UN resolution is not legally enforceable, but it expresses the opinions of the UN membership in order to put further pressure on Moscow.
In every scenario when the Security Council fails to act due to a permanent member’s veto, the UN General Assembly convenes such sessions to make urgent recommendations on a specific circumstance vital to the preservation of international peace and security.
It is the first time in 40 years that the Security Council has submitted a crisis to the UN General Assembly, and only the 11th time since 1950 that an emergency session of the UN General Assembly has been summoned.
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