UNITED NATIONS, May 31 — A Chinese envoy on Friday expressed dissatisfaction with the U.S. role in the adoption of a Security Council resolution on South Sudan sanctions.
During consultations on the draft resolution, the African members of the Security Council proposed an exemption to the arms embargo for the Necessary Unified Forces, which Sun Lei, China’s deputy permanent representative to the United Nations, described as a reasonable and feasible solution at the current stage.
However, the United States refused to discuss the constructive views of the regional countries, while insisting on maintaining the sanctions, he said in an explanation of vote.
“This is disappointing.” The penholder delayed the consultation process, reducing the already limited window of time. It never formally sought written comments on the text of the draft resolution from other council members and pushed for a vote while there were still clear differences among members, which was not in line with the established practices of the council, said Sun.
“These practices undermine the council’s unity and cooperation. We urge the penholder to take an objective and impartial approach, listen to the reasonable demand of the country concerned and the countries in the region, work to bridge differences between council members, and effectively shoulder its due responsibilities,” the Chinese envoy said.
In light of the generally stable circumstances in South Sudan and the proactive involvement of regional organizations, the draft resolution interprets the current situation in a lopsided manner, uses harsh language in many places, and puts excessive pressure on South Sudan. Rather than helping calm the situation, this may intensify antagonism and undermine regional mediation efforts, he said.
The international community should refrain from using sanctions as a political tool for coercion, pressure, or interference in South Sudan’s internal affairs, said Sun.
As the conditions for elections in South Sudan are not yet ripe, and the economic situation remains tense, the draft resolution still presents unrealistic requirements and standards on issues such as election preparation, financial management and resource allocation.
This is clearly not constructive, he said. South Sudan was founded less than 14 years ago, while the arms embargo imposed by the Security Council has been in effect for nearly seven years, which has severely constrained the country’s ability to implement the Revitalized Agreement, protect civilians, and maintain security and stability, said Sun.
This March, the African Union Peace and Security Council called for the lifting of the arms embargo on South Sudan. China supports and calls on the Security Council to attach importance to the legitimate concerns of South Sudan and other African countries and adjust or lift the relevant sanctions at an early date, he said.
The Security Council on Friday adopted Resolution 2781 to renew for a year the arms embargo against South Sudan, as well as targeted sanctions, including a travel ban and asset freeze, against individuals and entities.
The resolution was adopted with nine votes in favor — the bare minimum for adoption of a resolution — and six abstentions. The African members of the Security Council — Algeria, Sierra Leone, Somalia — abstained, along with China, Pakistan and Russia.
