US Stages Walkout at UN After France's "Disrespectful" Comments on Human Rights
- The US team walked out of a UN Security Council emergency meeting on Monday after France compared Washington's voting record to authoritarian states
- The row began last week when the US joined Russia and North Korea in voting against renewing the UN Human Rights Chief's term
- US ambassador Dan Negrea warned the walkouts would continue until France withdrew what he called disrespectful rhetoric
Legit.ng journalist Adekunle Dada has over 8 years of experience covering metro, government policy, and international issues
The United States delegation left a United Nations Security Council meeting on Monday in protest at remarks made by France that drew a comparison between Washington's human rights voting record and those of Russia and North Korea.
The confrontation traces back to a vote held the previous Friday, when the US sided with Russia and North Korea in opposing the renewal of Volker Turk's mandate as UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.
As reported by BBC News, the extension was ultimately passed, with 144 states voting in favour, 10 against, and 13 abstaining.
France's comments trigger diplomatic fallout.
Following that vote, France's UN mission posted on X:
"The US used to be a beacon of human rights. Not anymore."
US ambassador Mike Waltz hit back, accusing France of supporting a human rights chief who had been "lecturing" democratic countries while "cozying up to the world's worst oppressors."
Waltz, however, did not elaborate further on the matter.
Turk has been outspoken on Russia's war in Ukraine and has also criticised Israel's military conduct in Gaza, positions that appear to have contributed to Washington's opposition to his reappointment.
The walkout itself occurred while France's ambassador, Jerome Bonnafont, was addressing an emergency Security Council session on Russia's war in Ukraine.
Bonnafont had described Turk as "a voice of conscience" who showed "rigour and impartiality" throughout his first term.
US threatens funding and engagement review.
US ambassador Dan Negrea said the delegation would keep staging similar protests until France "renounces their condescending and disrespectful rhetoric."
A separate statement from US ambassador Jeff Bartos on Friday warned of direct consequences following the vote.
"The United States will immediately reassess our engagement, participation, and funding."
Bartos added that there would be repercussions for any assembly that "tolerates procedural overreach, backroom deals, and the misuse of UN posts."
The standoff reflects a broader pattern of friction between the Trump administration and the United Nations.
Washington has cut funding to several UN agencies and pulled out of dozens of UN bodies in recent months.
The Deputy UN spokesperson Farhan Haq declined to comment on the walkout.
Haq said only that the UN expected all member states to respect the decision reached by the assembly.
US reacts as African country withdraws from ICC
Recall that the United States publicly welcomed the decision of Chad to withdraw from the International Criminal Court.
Recall that Secretary of State Marco Rubio previously declared the US would never surrender its sovereignty to the ICC.
Washington said it is launching a whole-of-government campaign against what it called the ICC's illegitimate overreach.
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Source: Legit.ng
