UN Security Council fails to adopt South Sudan arms embargo resolutions

The United Nations Security Council has failed to adopt a U.S.-drafted resolution to impose an arms embargo and further sanctions on South Sudan despite warnings by U.N. officials of a possible genocide in the war torn nation.

Nine votes in favour and no vetoes were needed for the resolution to be taken but unfortunately there were seven votes in favour and eight abstentions.

“Of course there would have been smuggling, but you would have significantly reduced arms sales by U.N. member states to a fellow U.N. member state, that instead of feeding its people is amping up and arming up for an increasingly ethnic conflict,” U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Samantha Power said.

China’s deputy U.N. Ambassador, Wu Haitao added: “There needs to be prudent actions with respect to embargoes and designations to avoid complicating the situation even further in South Sudan.”

The United States is however still prepared to push for another vote on an arms embargo in the future, but South Sudan welcomed the decision and regretted the initiative was thought of in the first place.

“ This action reveals lack of good faith and only suggests to further aggravate matters and invite controversy, potential disagreement and hostility when harmony and cooperation are nationally what the situation calls for,” South Sudanese Deputy permanent representative to the U.N. Joseph Moum Majak Ngor Malok said.

Fear of a possible genocide outbreak was raised by U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon earlier this week who suggested that measures should be taken, the most important being an arms embargo.