UNGA Update
by Noah Shack
Government Relations Research Associate, Canada-Israel Committee
On November 23rd, Canada voted against a draft resolution affirming the outcome of the Durban Review Conference in the Third Committee of the UN General Assembly.
In explanation of vote, Canada reiterated its commitment to eradicating racism internationally and domestically, and its support for the strategies outlined at the 2001 Conference. However, it would continue to reject certain politicized elements of that Conference and had disassociated itself from references to the Middle East, which could not be construed as a legitimate basis for fighting intolerance. The draft resolution had sought to endorse the April Review Conference, in which Canada did not participate for reasons of principle. Furthermore, its outcome document contained language reaffirming 2001 in its entirety. The Canadian Government therefore could not endorse it and voted against the draft.
The draft resolution was nonetheless approved by a vote of 163 in favour to 5 against, with 9 abstentions, as follows:
In favour: Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Costa Rica, Côte d’Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gambia, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Portugal, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Russian Federation, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United Republic of Tanzania, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
Against: Australia, Canada, Israel, Netherlands, United States.
Abstain: Czech Republic, Georgia, Germany, Italy, New Zealand, Poland, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Tonga.
Absent: Central African Republic, Chad, Dominica, Eritrea, Gabon, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia (Federated States of), Nauru, Palau, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Somalia, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Tuvalu.
/cijainfo
@CIJAinfo