On Tuesday, the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) approved a resolution drafted by Azerbaijan, China, and Palestine on the “negative impact of unilateral coercive measures on the enjoyment of human rights”, in a decision that was welcomed by Venezuela and Cuba, among others. Resolution A/HRC/46/L.4 was passed with 30 countries voting in favour, 15 countries voting against, and Mexico and Armenia abstaining from the vote.
The resolution calls on states to uphold the principles of international law, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the UN Charter, and General Assembly 70/1, which encourages states from “promulgating and applying any unilateral economic, financial or trade measures not in accordance with international law and the Charter, that impede the full achievement of economic and social development, particularly in least developed and developing countries”.
To this end, the resolution argues that sanctions have severely detrimental effects on the “right to development, international relations, trade, investment, and cooperation”. It further asserts that such punitive measures undermine states’ “sovereign rights” to self-governance and over their own “wealth, natural resources, and economic activity” through intervention and interference in others’ internal affairs, a right which is protected by General Assembly resolution 1803 (XVII). This, the resolution contends, disproportionately affects developing countries and women and children within these countries, and places often insurmountable “obstacles to development”.
Keeping this in mind, the document calls on states to “resolve their differences through dialogue and peaceful means and to avoid the use of economic, political, or other measures to coerce another State with regard to the exercise of its sovereign rights”.
The countries who voted in favour of the resolution were: Argentina, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Bolivia, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, China, Cote d’Ivoire, Cuba, Eritrea, Fiji, Gabon, India, Indonesia, Libya, Malawi, Mauritania, Namibia, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Russian Federation, Senegal, Somalia, Sudan, Togo, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, and Venezuela.
Meanwhile, the countries who voted against the resolution were: Austria, Brazil, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Marshall Islands, Netherlands, Poland, Republic of Korea, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom.
The result was celebrated by Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, who said that the damage effected by sanctions against the “lives of Venezuelans and of the free nations of the world is undeniable.” Likewise, Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza released a statement saying that the impact of unilateral coercive measures is “so obvious that due to elementary ethics, the countries that voted against it should lose their seat on the Council.”
Similarly, Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez described unilateral sanctions as “illegal and immoral”, and remarked that such measures have inflicted suffering and “hunger” on Cuba for over 60 years.
In fact, in February, the United Nations’ (UN) Special Rapporteur on the negative impact of unilateral coercive measures on the enjoyment of human rights, Alena Douhan, released a preliminary report on the impact of sanctions on Venezuela and whether these punitive measures have violated human rights by putting vulnerable people in harm’s way by crippling an already weak economy.
After visiting the country from February 1-12, she determined: “Unilateral sanctions increasingly imposed by the United States, the European Union and other countries have exacerbated the abovementioned challenges. The Government’s revenue was reported to shrink by 99% with the country currently living on 1% of its pre-sanctions income.”
All of this has resulted in hyperinflation, decrease in public sector salaries, rising poverty, mass emigration, reduced access to electricity and water, severe food and medicinal shortages, and a number of parallel public health crises.
Similarly, in January, the Trump administration designated Cuba as a state sponsor of terrorism (SST). The latest sanctions introduce a host of new restrictions on travel from the US to Cuba as well as financial transfers between the two countries. It was hoped that Cuba would be removed from the list under the Biden administration, but White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki has said, “A Cuba policy shift is not currently among President Biden’s top priorities.
Sanctions against Cuba span across decades and have contributed to “malnutrition [...], poor water quality, lack of access to medicines and medicinal supplies, and limited the exchange of medical and scientific information due to travel restrictions and currency regulations”.
Therefore, it is hoped that the passage of the resolution against coercive measures this week could push the US and other Western states to relax or withdraw sanctions against countries like Venezuela and Cuba, regardless of their political differences. However, given that the resolution itself is in itself entirely non-binding and nothing more than a suggestion, this remains somewhat of a forlorn hope.
UNHRC Passes Resolution on Negative Impact of Unilateral Coercive Measures on Human Rights
The resolution calls on states to negotiate their differences through diplomatic means and to respect the sovereign rights of other countries.
March 25, 2021
IMAGE SOURCE: MAGALI GIRARDIN / KEYSTONE VIA APThe result was celebrated by Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, who said that the damage effected by sanctions against the “lives of Venezuelans and of the free nations of the world is undeniable.”