SA proposes rival draft resolution to the UN on humanitarian consequences of the war in Ukraine

South Africa has proposed a rival draft resolution in the United Nations General Assembly that seeks to address the humanitarian consequences of the war in Ukraine.

The SA-authored text was issued after a French and Mexican drafted resolution was circulated to member states demanding an immediate cessation of hostilities by the Russian Federation in Ukraine, in particular the targeting of civilians and civilian infrastructure.

Russia-Ukraine | South Africa proposes a rival draft resolution in the UN General Assembly

Pretoria’s position is one that the UN must take decisions and actions that would lead to a constructive outcome conducive to the creation of sustainable peace between the parties.

South Africa cited the unbalanced nature of the earlier GA resolution, which drew Pretoria’s controversial abstention and insists that the humanitarian text put forward by western nations not be politicized. The Western humanitarian draft makes reference to the previous resolution that was adopted by 141 member states and refers to hostilities by the Russian Federation against Ukraine, while deploring dire humanitarian consequences of Moscow’s hostilities.

The South African draft makes no mention of Russia but calls for an immediate cessation of hostilities by all parties and encourages political dialogue, negotiations and mediation.

The United Kingdom Mission to the UN responded to the SA draft in a tweet arguing that any meaningful humanitarian resolution must acknowledge Russia’s war in causing Ukraine’s humanitarian crisis adding that any text that doesn’t recognize this fact turns a blind eye to Russia’s brutal tactics.

As the war nears its first month, the UN Chief Antonio Guterres warned that Ukrainians were facing a living hell…

“We have seen appalling human suffering and destruction in cities, towns and villages. Systematic bombardments that terrorise civilians. The shelling of hospitals, schools, apartment buildings and shelters. And all of it is intensifying — getting more destructive and more unpredictable by the hour. Ten million Ukrainians have been forced from their homes and are on the move. But the war is going nowhere, fast. For more than two weeks, Mariupol has been encircled by the Russian army and relentlessly bombed, shelled and attacked. For what? Even if Mariupol falls, Ukraine cannot be conquered city by city, street by street, house by house.”

He called the war unwinnable but one that would have repercussions worldwide from skyrocketing food, energy and fertilizer prices that could spiral into a global hunger crisis…

“The only question is: How many more lives must be lost? How many more bombs must fall? How many Mariupols must be destroyed? How many Ukrainians and Russians will be killed before everyone realizes that this war has no winners – only losers? How many more people will have to die in Ukraine, and how many people around the world will have to face hunger for this to stop? Continuing the war in Ukraine is morally unacceptable, politically indefensible and militarily nonsensical. What I said from this podium almost one month ago should be even more evident today. By any measure by even the shrewdest calculation  it is time to stop the fighting now and give peace a chance. It is time to end this absurd war.”

The UN General Assembly resumes its Special Emergency Session on Ukraine Wednesday, where a western humanitarian draft will be debated and put to a vote in the days ahead.

It’s unclear at this stage how South Africa plans to proceed with its draft just as Russia now confirms to SABC News that it has called for its own humanitarian draft resolution in the Security Council to be put to a vote on Wednesday as well.

That vote, delayed from last Friday due to a lack of support is still unlikely to get the minimum nine votes for passage in the Council.