Africa-Press – Seychelles. Seychelles was among 14 countries at the United Nations General Assembly’s emergency session last Friday not to vote on a resolution which called for the “protection of civilians and upholding legal and humanitarian obligations” for the Gaza crisis.
The UN’s emergency session on the ongoing Gaza crisis received 120 votes FOR, 14 AGAINST and 45 ABSTAIN.
Seychelles and 13 other countries namely Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Eswatini, Jamaica, Liberia, Rwanda, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela, were the countries that did not vote.
Seychelles NATION sought the opinion of a seasoned diplomat on the country’s stance, who stated that a country like Seychelles which is always on top of things and alert, should never be absent for a major resolution as such.
The diplomat explained that among the millions of resolutions presented by the UN, some are of major significance and top priority such as in war times. These are used to apply pressure on the concerned parties to negotiate and protect civilians.
“Being absent for such a resolution is seen as the most shameful and coward action by a country. Firstly, they are countries that want to shy away and do not want to take their responsibility vis-à-vis an issue that concerns the international community,” the diplomat said, adding that as a member of the UN, a country must always have a position by either voting For, Against or Abstain.
“Of course all these votes put you in a certain camp. In this specific resolution those that abstained were mostly EU countries and the United States which are pro-Israel,” the person stated, adding that Seychelles did not want to abstain so as not to offend the majority that voted for the resolution, in favour of Palestinians and against the atrocities happening on both sides.
“At the same time it did not vote ‘for’ so as not to offend its new international partners”.
The diplomat stated that a true friend is a country that would tell another country whether it supported it on a resolution or not and the countries that are respected and deemed credible are the ones that take a stance, and be open about it.
According to the diplomat, Seychelles had always remained steadfast in its position on certain major issues since its independence citing the Palestine issue as one, where it had always stood in solidarity with the Palestinian people. Two other examples were Cuba and one-China.
“There are some issues where the country would always take its own position. We should have explained this to the US and the EU countries that we will continue to collaborate but we have a different position on the issue of Palestine. So it is disappointing”.
Seychelles NATION contacted the Foreign Affairs department to get its comments on the country’s stance at the emergency session but a response was yet to come at the time of going to press.
It should be noted that the Emergency Special Session will reconvene this Tuesday, with countries continuing their debate.
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