At the UN, Russia loses elections to three key agencies over Ukraine

United Nations: In a sign that global outrage and opposition to its invasion of Ukraine still persists, Russia this week lost elections to three United Nations agencies. In the 54-member UN Economic and Social Council, the votes follow approval of six non-binding resolutions against Russia by the 193-member UN General Assembly. On February 23, the eve of the first anniversary of the invasion, the latest resolution called for Moscow to end hostilities and withdraw its forces and was adopted by a vote of 141-7 with 32 abstentions. In the ECOSOC votes, Russia was overwhelmingly defeated by Romania for a seat on the Commission on the Status of Women. It lost to Estonia to be a member of the executive board of the UN children’s agency UNICEF. And it was defeated by Armenia and the Czech Republic in secret ballot votes for membership on the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice. US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield said after Wednesday’s votes, “This is a clear signal from ECOSOC members that no country should hold positions on critical UN bodies when they are in flagrant violation of the U.N. Charter.” In the voting for members of 14 commissions, boards and expert groups that ECOSOC oversees, Russia was elected to the Commission for Social Development by acclamation – which the United States and the United Kingdom dissociated their countries from, saying Russia’s invasion violates international law and Ukraine’s territorial integrity. Russia was also elected by acclamation to the Intergovernmental Working Group of Experts on International Standards of Accounting and Reporting. Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.