The UN Security Council began work on Wednesday on a draft resolution co-authored by Tunisia and France, which calls for “enhanced coordination“facing Covid-19 and a”cessation of hostilities“in the countries on his agenda, according to the text obtained by the AFP.
Since the start of the pandemic, the Security Council has remained largely silent due to strong divisions among its permanent members, notably the United States, China and Russia. It confined itself to the initiative of Berlin to hold its first meeting exclusively devoted to Covid-19 on April 9, without, however, adopting a strong text.
The three-page draft for Tunisia and France was handed over to the 15 members of the Security Council on Wednesday morning. Discussions will begin “soon“after the delivery by the members of their”comments“diplomats said on condition of anonymity.
“There will be no negotiations as such“, predicted a third diplomat, also on condition of anonymity, referring to a vote that could take place early next week.
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A decisive impetus for an adoption could be given by a videoconference of the leaders of the five permanent members of the Security Council which is envisaged this Friday, according to Russian media.
The text of Tunisia and France is the fruit of two negotiations and two competing projects, carried out for a month, on one side under the leadership of Tunis by the ten countries not permanent members of the Council, and the another under the direction of Paris with only its five permanent members.
The project highlights “the urgent need for enhanced coordination among all countries“to fight the pandemic. It”calls for a general and immediate cessation of hostilities in all the countries on the agenda“of the Security Council, in support of the efforts of the Secretary General of the United Nations.
Antonio Guterres had launched on March 23 a call for a general cease-fire in the world to better fight against the Covid-19 and asked since the Security Council to support this step.
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The subject could be discussed during the videoconference planned soon by the five permanent members of the Security Council (United States, Russia, China, France and United Kingdom).
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The ten non-permanent members of the Security Council are in addition to Tunisia, Germany, Indonesia, Belgium, the Dominican Republic, South Africa, Estonia, Niger, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Vietnam.
At the end of a month of negotiations, these countries, exasperated by the delays of the permanent members, had last week reached a final draft resolution, comprising only two paragraphs in square brackets linked to a request for the lifting of international sanctions through South Africa. However, no request for a vote followed.
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