Russia vetoes UN resolution on Mali sanctions

United Nations, United States – AFP

Russia on Wednesday vetoed a proposal at the United Nations to extend targeted sanctions in military-run Mali, which has become a close partner of Russia’s Wagner mercenaries.

“Despite the fact that we repeatedly urged a constructive approach and a sensible compromise, the texts did not in any way take into consideration the concerns of the Malian side or the Russian Federation’s position,” Moscow’s envoy Vassily Nebenzia said after casting the veto.

The sanctions, set up in 2017, ban travel and freeze assets of anyone seen to threaten peace in the fragile country. The junta has urged the end of the sanctions, after earlier forcing an end to a decade-long UN peacekeeping mission.

Thirteen of the Security Council’s 15 members backed the draft resolution led by Mali’s former colonial power France and the United Arab Emirates, which would have prolonged sanctions by one more year.

Russia had accepted a continuation of the sanctions — although with the understanding it would not back further extensions — but opposed maintaining a panel that monitors the sanctions.

Western powers accused Russia of retaliating after a report by the panel spoke critically about actions by Malian forces and their “foreign security partners” — a clear reference to Wagner.

“Russia seeks to eliminate the panel of experts mandate to stifle publication of uncomfortable truths,” US envoy Robert Wood said.

The elimination of the panel would make the sanctions “ineffective,” he said.

“Too many people continue to suffer from the ongoing violence and due to Russia’s actions, this Council has failed to renew some of the most important international initiatives for addressing this crisis,” he said.

Russia put forward its own resolution, but it alone voted in its favor.