Moscow miffed as Ukraine wins WHO executive berth
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Russia tried to prevent Ukraine from being admitted to WHO's executive board by forcing a vote. But the vote was easily carried by 123 votes to 13.
PHOTO: TWITTER
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GENEVA – Russia failed on Friday in a bid to prevent Ukraine from taking a place on the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) executive board, on a day that also saw North Korea gain a berth.
Ten countries joined the board for a three-year term but Russia tried to exclude Ukraine, which it invaded 15 months ago, from joining the 34-nation forum at the ongoing World Health Assembly in Geneva.
Normally, those joining the forum, which plays a key role in the governance of the WHO, are elected on the nod but Moscow forced the first vote since 1977 at this year’s 76th assembly.
In the event, the vote was easily carried by 123 votes to 13.
Wednesday had seen WHO member countries back a resolution condemning Russia’s continued war against Ukraine
“Today’s vote marked a stunning defeat for Russia, which failed in its reckless attempts to undermine the authority of the WHO regional committees and disrupt the work of the World Health Assembly and its executive board,” said Ukraine’s United Nations ambassador in Geneva, Ms Yevheniia Filipenko.
“Health must not be politicised. The WHO must be allowed to function normally,” tweeted the French delegation in congratulating Ukraine for overcoming “Russian attempts at obstruction”.
Russia’s delegation stated that it deeply regretted the fact that “the assembly has voted for a country that will simply further politicise the work of the executive board”, adding that it opposed “politicisation of the work of the World Health Assembly and of the WHO as a whole”.
There was further acrimony at the gathering after the United States said it regretted the extension of a place for North Korea after it was put forward by South-east Asia.
The US delegation said it had grave concerns that the Pyongyang government did not share WHO’s values, citing the regime’s “appalling record of human rights violations and abuses (which) has been regularly documented by UN bodies, as well as widely condemned by the international community”.
It also highlighted that North Korea’s “continued development of its weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programmes violates multiple UN Security Council resolutions”.
The US delegation urged Pyongyang “to respect human rights, fulfil its obligations under UN Security Council resolutions, and engage in serious and sustained diplomacy”.
The North Korean delegation retorted that it deeply regrets that one country is “trying to abuse this forum for its own despicable political purposes and pushing confrontation”.
The other countries that joined the board on Friday are Australia, Barbados, Cameroon, the Comoros Islands, Lesotho, Qatar, Switzerland and Togo. AFP
