UNGA calls for stronger cooperation with Security Council on veto power
UN General Assembly (UNGA) Vice-President Krzysztof Maria Szczerski has stressed the need to strengthen cooperation between the General Assembly and the UN Security Council (UNSC), highlighting their shared responsibility for maintaining international peace and security.
He made the remarks during a General Assembly session on Tuesday to discuss Russia’s use of its veto against a US-drafted resolution on Western Sahara, which sought to extend the mandate of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO), ending its 35-year presence in the territory.
Szczerski said discussions on the use of veto power reflected the shared responsibility of the two UN bodies in promoting international peace and security. He also praised the mission’s personnel and the contributions of participating countries, noting that 20 people had lost their lives while serving under the UN flag in Western Sahara.
On October 30, the Security Council failed to adopt the US-drafted resolution to extend MINURSO’s mandate for another year after Russia vetoed it. The draft supported Morocco’s autonomy proposal as a basis for negotiations. An alternative Russian-drafted resolution also failed to secure the necessary support, resulting in the termination of the mission’s mandate the following day.
Source: KUNA
