Unda has abstained from voting on a United Nations General Assembly Resolution condemning Russian President, Vladimir Putin’s decision to illegally annex four Ukrainian regions.
Yesterday, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution that condemned Russia’s “illegal so-called referendums” in regions within Ukraine’s internationally-recognized borders, and demanded it reverses its annexation declaration.
143 countries voted in favour of the Resolution, 5 voted against it, while 35 countries abstained.
Uganda was among the 35 nations, most of which, African countries that abstained from voting.
The 5 that voted against the Resolution include; North Korea, Belarus Nicaragua, Russia, and Syria.
Last month, Putin ordered illegal referendums in four Ukrainian regions of; Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia.
As per the results of vote supervised by Russia and its allied separatists, people in the four Ukrainian regions overwhelming voted to join the Russian Federation.
The referendums received massive condemnation from across the world, and from the UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres.
Under the UN Charter, it is illegal to hold a referendum during the war.
Ukraine is currently fighting Russian forces which invaded the Ukraine on February 24, 2022 on orders of President Putin.
It should however be noted that this is not the first time Uganda is abstaining to vote for or against Russia at the United Nations since the Russian war in Ukraine began.
On March 2, Uganda abstained from voting on the United Nations General Assembly Resolution to condemn Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The United Nations General Assembly overwhelmingly voted to reprimand Russia for invading Ukraine and demanded that Moscow stop fighting and withdraw its military forces from Ukraine.
141 countries voted for the UN General Assembly resolution condemning the Russian invasion of Ukraine, in an special session called by the UN Security Council after Russia used it veto power to veto the Resolution of the Security Council on February 27, condemning it’s invasion of Ukraine.
Only five countries voted against the resolution, including; Belarus, Russia, North Korea, Eritrea and Syria.
Meanwhile, 34 other countries abstained from voting, including; Uganda Morocco, Iran, Iraq, Algeria, Zimbabwe, Bangladesh, Burundi, Bolivia, El Salvador, India, Nicaragua, and Senegal.
Similarly, in April, Uganda abstained from voting on the United Nations General Assembly Resolution to suspend Russia from the UN Human Rights Council.
It followed allegations of war crimes by Kremlin troops in Ukraine.
93 countries voted in favour of the move, 24 against, and there were 58 abstentions.
Among the countries who supported the suspension were the US, European Union nations, the UK, and Ukraine itself.
China, Syria, and Belarus were among those who voted against the motion.
Those that abstained include; Uganda, India, Egypt, and South Africa among others.
In a tweet shortly after the voting, Uganda’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Adonia Ayebare said the country maintained it’s neutral status, and called for diplomatic solution to end the conflict in Ukraine.
“Uganda abstained during an emergency UN General Assembly vote to suspended the Russian Federation from the Human rights council, maintaining our neutrality. Uganda calls a Diplomatic solution to the crisis in Ukraine,” tweeted Ambassador Ayebare.