Malawi UN envoy speaks on Russia-Ukraine war
Malawi’s representative to the United Nations (UN) Agnes Chimbiri has urged all members of the organisation to unite and find a peaceful solution to the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
In her address to the UN General Assembly on Tuesday, she cautioned that the conflict in Ukraine threatens the “very foundation” of the multilateral organisation and could roll back the progress it has made towards promoting global peace and security.
Said Chimbiri: “They are a threat to the progress we have attained over the years to make the world peaceful and safer for humanity and all forms of life on it. The progress that has been realised in rebuilding the global peace and security architecture should be jealously guarded by all of us.
“We are all aware of the consequences of a global conflict and its humanitarian, socio-economic and political catastrophic impacts, which are needlessly overemphasised. The world is already grappling with several other existential crises, ranging from the Covid-19 pandemic to climate change.”
She has since urged Russia to withdraw its troops from Ukraine to create the conditions for peaceful negotiations, adding that the conflict would need the UN Security Council to show leadership in the spirit of multilateralism to secure peace.
Russia invaded Ukraine after negotiations with the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Nato) over the possible induction of Kyiv in the security alliance collapsed.
Last year, Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed concern that if Nato inducts Ukraine into the security alliance, it would create an opportunity for the US to deploy its soldiers and weapons near Russia, a development he said would undermine his country’s security interests.
The US and its Nato allies dismissed Putin’s requests, including one to stop the security alliance’s expansion into former Soviet Union territories in eastern Europe as a “non-starter”, according to CNN.
Two weeks ago, United States President Joe Biden allayed fears that the US and its European allies in Nato would threaten Russia’s security interests.
The US and Russia, alongside Nato allies France and Britain, are permanent members of the UN Security council, the body that is charged with promoting global peace and security. China is the fifth permanent member of the council. As permanent members, the US and Russia have special voting powers which allow them to veto any resolution and stop the council from approving any decision of the 15-member council.
