M.F.A. Comments on Belize’s Stance during U.N. Vote on Russia’s Suspension from U.N. Human Rights Council

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has issued a statement on Belize’s abstention from the resolution tabled in the United Nations General Assembly to suspend Russia from the U.N. Human Rights Council. The ministry says Belize took the decision to abstain “following obligatory consultations among CARICOM Member States on April fourth and seventh, which did not yield a consensus regional position”. Several CARICOM Member States also abstained in the April seventh vote including Barbados, Guyana, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, St. Kitts and Nevis, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago. The Ministry notes that Belize remains resolute in its condemnation of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and supports every effort to peacefully end the war. Belize co-sponsored and supported two United Nations resolutions, on March second and twenty-fourth. These strongly condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, called for immediate cessation of hostilities and urgent diplomatic efforts to seek a peaceful resolution of the conflict, and expressed grave concern about the plight of civilians in Ukraine. The release further notes that the U.N. Human Rights Council is investigating all alleged violations and abuses of human rights and violations of international humanitarian law against Ukraine by the Russian Federation. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says, however, that Belize is of the view that a determination to suspend Russia from the H.R.C. would be best considered after the receipt of any definitive and actionable findings resulting from the investigations.