Arab Press

بالشعب و للشعب
Saturday, Jul 12, 2025

US blocks UN vote on global ceasefire resolution

US blocks UN vote on global ceasefire resolution

The United States has blocked a vote on a UN security council resolution pushing for a truce in global conflicts to help nations better tackle the Covid-19 pandemic.

Washington's U-turn came a day after it agreed to the text, negotiators said under cover of anonymity.

"The United States cannot support the current draft," the country's delegation told the 14 other security council members on Friday, after nearly two months of difficult negotiation over the text.

Questioned over the US move, a state department official told AFP news agency that China had played a role in its decision saying it had "repeatedly blocked compromises that would have allowed the council to move forward".

The draft procedure, spearheaded by France and Tunisia, would have allowed the two countries to put it to a vote.

The latest version of the text called for a cessation of hostilities in conflict zones and a 90-day "humanitarian pause" to allow governments to better address the pandemic among those most suffering. It called on all nations to enhance coordination in battling the virus.

"In our view, the council should either proceed with a resolution limited to support for a ceasefire, or a broadened resolution that fully addresses the need for renewed member state commitment to transparency and accountability in the context of Covid-19," a US state department representative told AFP.

Unhappy with the WHO


According to diplomats, the US also had a problem with the language used in the draft to describe the World Health Organization (WHO).

It called on all nations to enhance coordination in fighting the virus and highlighted the urgent need to support all countries, as well as all relevant entities of the UN system, including specialized health agencies, and other relevant international, regional, and sub-regional organizations".

This wording, which implicitly refers to the WHO without explicitly mentioning it, was the compromise obtained from US and China on Thursday night, diplomats said. Designed to appease the US, it would appear it remained too explicit.

In April, President Donald Trump announced the US would suspend funding to the WHO, making China the largest financial supporter of the Geneva-based body.

Trump had previously accused the WHO of downplaying the seriousness of the outbreak in January in order to protect China.

Stalemate


"The US turnaround is very bad news for the UN, the security council and multilateralism," an ambassador from a security council member state told AFP.

UN secretary-general, Antonio Guterres, has been pushing for a cessation of hostilities around the world since 23 March, urging all sides in conflict to lay down arms and allow war-torn nations to combat the coronavirus.

The latest stalemate continues to leave the global peace and security body largely mute in the face of a pandemic that has killed more than 270,000 people and raised further fears for the world's most vulnerable.

Nicolas de Rivière, France's ambassador to the security council, told reporters: "I would like to continue to try to reach an agreement, if there is room for that."

His Tunisian counterpart, Kais Kaftan, said there were ongoing discussions to convince the Americans. He added that the procedure for going to a vote would be taken up again.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Arab Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Russia Formally Recognizes Taliban Government in Afghanistan
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Mediators Edge Closer to Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Agreement
Germany Seeks Taliban Deal to Deport Afghan Migrants
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Iran Executes Alleged Israeli Spies and Arrests Hundreds Amid Post-War Crackdown
Trump Asserts Readiness for Further Strikes on Iran Amid Nuclear Tensions
Qatar Airways Clears Backlog of Passengers Following Missile Threats
Iran's Parliament Votes to Suspend Cooperation with Nuclear Watchdog
Trump Announces Upcoming US-Iran Meeting Amid Controversial Airstrikes
Trump Moves to Reshape Middle East Following Israel-Iran Conflict
NATO Leaders Endorse Plan for Increased Defence Spending
U.S. Crude Oil Prices Drop Below $65 Amid Market Volatility
“You Have 12 Hours to Flee”: Israeli Threat Campaign Targets Surviving Iranian Officials
Oman Set to Introduce Personal Income Tax, First in Gulf
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Trump Praises Iran’s ‘Very Weak’ Response After U.S. Strikes and Presses Israel to Pursue Peace
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
We have new information and breaking details to share about what is shaping up to be a historic air campaign tonight
Six Massive Bombs Dropped on Fordow; Trump: 'A Historic Moment for the U.S., Israel, and the World'
Fordow: Deeply Buried Iranian Enrichment Site in U.S.–Israel Crosshairs
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Pakistan to nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize.
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
G7 Leaders Fail to Reach Consensus on Key Global Issues
Mass exodus in Tehran as millions try to flee following Trump’s evacuation order
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
Energy Infrastructure Becomes War Zone in Middle East
Iran Conducts Ballistic Missile Launches Amid Heightened Tensions with Israel
Iran Signals Openness to Nuclear Negotiations Amid Ongoing Regional Tensions
Shock Within Iran’s Leadership: Khamenei’s Failed Plan to Launch 1,000 Missiles Against Israel
UK Deploys Jets to Middle East Amid Rising Tensions
Exiled Iranian Prince Reza Pahlavi Urges Overthrow of Khamenei Regime
×