Nigeria on Wednesday sided with 140 countries to demand the immediate withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine.
The United Nations General Assembly overwhelmingly adopted a resolution that “demands” Russia’s “immediately” withdraw from Ukraine, in a powerful rebuke of Moscow’s invasion by a vast majority of the world’s nations.
Also on Wednesday, the International Monetary Fund and World Bank Group said they would respond to Ukraine’s request for urgent financing with about $5.2bn cumulatively.
In the UN, after more than two days of extraordinary debate which saw the Ukrainian ambassador accuse Russia of genocide, 141 out of 193 member states voted for the non-binding resolution. However, about five countries sided with Russia. They include- Eritrea, North Korea, Syria, Belarus and Russia.
About 35 countries – mainly African nations – abstained from voting. They include: Algeria, Angola, Armenia, Bangladesh, Bolivia, Burundi, Central African Republic, China, Congo, Cuba, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, India, Iran, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Lao, Madagascar, Mali, Mongolia, Mozambique, Namibia, Nicaragua, Pakistan, Senegal, South Africa, South Sudan, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Tajikistan, Uganda, Tanzania, Vietnam and Zimbabwe.
However, 141 countries including Nigeria, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany and Canada, condemned Russia. The resolution deplored the invasion of Ukraine “in the strongest terms” and condemned President Vladimir Putin’s decision to put his nuclear forces on alert.
Nigeria’s stand on Wednesday was a historic departure from its non-aligned movement in the politics between the West and Russia.
Meanwhile, the Federal Executive Council on Wednesday in Abuja, approved $8.5m (N3.5bn) to facilitate the immediate evacuation of 5,000 Nigerians from Ukraine, Poland, Romania, Hungary and Slovakia.
The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of Nigeria, Zubairu Dada, disclosed this to State House Correspondents shortly after the Federal Executive Council meeting presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo at the Council Chambers of the Presidential Villa.
Dada, who spoke alongside the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Farouk, said the approval followed a joint memo presented by both ministries at the council meeting.
He said the evacuees include 940 from Romania, 150 from Slovakia and 350 from Poland who have registered to leave.
On the amount approved, Dada explained that “The Ministry of humanitarian affairs wrote a memo to the President seeking funding to enable us to conduct this exercise. The memo was to the tune of $8.5m, which Mr President has graciously approved. That provision entails an arrangement to evacuate no less than 5,000 Nigerians.
“It also includes some assistance for the feeding that may have been done by the missions under whatever arrangements. Even the missions themselves are also in dire situations.”
Quizzed about when the funds will be released, Dada said, “That is why the evacuation flights will begin today (Wednesday).”
Credit: Punch
MORE STORIES
