Rhino: Agencies – Russia on Monday vetoed a draft United Nations Security Council resolution calling on the warring parties in Sudan to immediately cease hostilities and ensure the delivery of humanitarian aid.

All other countries in the 15-member council, including China, voted in favor of the draft resolution drafted by Britain and Sierra Leone.

Russia was the only country to vote against the draft resolution, a move that British Foreign Secretary David Lammy described as “mean, nasty and malicious” and sending a message to the warring parties that they can do anything with impunity.

The war erupted in April 2023 over a power struggle between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces ahead of a planned transition to civilian rule, leading to the world’s largest displacement crisis.

The draft resolution called on the parties to the conflict to “immediately cease hostilities and engage in good faith in a dialogue to agree on steps to de-escalate the conflict with a view to urgently agreeing on a nationwide ceasefire.”

The draft resolution also called on the parties to engage in dialogue to agree on truces and humanitarian arrangements, ensure the safe passage of civilians, the delivery of adequate humanitarian aid, and other measures.
Russia accused Britain of trying to interfere in Sudanese affairs. “We agree with all our colleagues in the Security Council that the conflict in Sudan requires a swift solution,” Russian Deputy Ambassador to the United Nations Dmitry Polyansky said at the meeting. It is also clear that the only way to achieve this is for the warring parties to agree to a ceasefire,” Russian Deputy UN Ambassador Dmitry Polyansky said at the meeting.

Polyansky accused supporters of the draft resolution of “double standards” for giving Israel a green light to continue its violation of international humanitarian law in Gaza and said the British Foreign Secretary’s criticism was “excellent evidence of British neo-colonialism.”

“One country stood in the way of the council and spoke with one voice,” the British Foreign Secretary said at the meeting. “One country blocked (the draft resolution). “One country is the enemy of peace. The Russian veto is a disgrace and shows the world once again the true (face) of Russia,” the British Foreign Secretary said at the meeting.

“I ask the Russian representative … how many more Sudanese have to be killed? How many more women have to be raped? How many more children have to be deprived of food before Russia takes action?”

The United Nations says about 25 million people, half of Sudan’s population, are in need of aid as famine spreads in camps for the displaced and 11 million people have fled their homes, more than three million of whom have gone to other countries.