United Nations: India on Thursday abstained in the UN General Assembly on a resolution by Ukraine and its allies on the humanitarian crisis in the war-torn eastern European country, saying the focus should be on cessation of hostilities and on urgent humanitarian assistance and the draft did not fully reflect New Delhi’s expected focus on these challenges.
The 193-member UN General Assembly adopted the draft resolution ‘Humanitarian consequences of the aggression against Ukraine by Ukraine and its western allies, with 140 nations voting in favour, five against and 38 abstentions. India abstained on the resolution.
“We firmly believe efforts at the United Nations should contribute to de-escalation of the conflict, facilitate immediate cessation of hostilities to promote dialogue and diplomacy and bring together parties to find an immediate end to the suffering of the people,” India’s Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador T S Tirumurti said in the Explanation of Vote after the resolution was adopted.
“We continue to underline the need to respect the UN Charter, international law and the sovereignty and territorial integrity of states. India abstained on the resolution since what we require now is to focus on cessation of hostilities and on urgent humanitarian assistance. The draft resolution did not fully reflect our expected focus on these challenges,” Tirumurti said, reiterating India’s call for immediate ceasefire.
Tirumurti underlined that India continues to remain deeply concerned at the ongoing situation which has rapidly been deteriorating since the beginning of the hostilities. He noted that the conflict has resulted in death of civilians, and nearly 10 million people have either been displaced internally or moved to neighboring countries.
“We have constantly called for cessation of hostilities,” he said, noting with concern that the humanitarian situation continues to worsen, particularly in the conflict zones in urban areas.
“Women, children and elderly are disproportionately affected by the prolonging of this conflict,” he said.
Tirumurti emphasised that there is an urgent need to address the humanitarian needs of the affected population. India supports the initiatives of the UN and its agencies and expressed hope that the international community will continue to respond positively to the humanitarian needs of the people of Ukraine, including through extending generous support to the Secretary General’s flash appeal and the regional refugee response plan on Ukraine.
He underscored that it is important that humanitarian action is always guided by the principles of humanitarian assistance, which is humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence. “These measures should not be politicised.”
Tirumurti told the General Assembly that India has already sent over 90 tonnes of humanitarian supplies, including medicines and other essential relief material, to Ukraine and its neighbors as part of the nine separate tranches of humanitarian assistance delivered so far.