France seeks to regulate veto to expand sanctions against Sudan — The National

France is stepping up efforts at the UN to regulate the use of the veto power in the Security Council, hoping to expand sanctions against Sudan and impose an arms embargo on the entire country. The National reported this, citing French diplomatic sources.

Sanctions and embargo

The current UN sanctions regime, introduced in 2005, includes an arms embargo on the western region of Darfur. French diplomatic sources said that it has so far not been possible to extend the sanctions regime to all of Sudan or impose a nationwide arms embargo.

The UN Security Council has two more weeks to consider a US proposal to extend the embargo to the entire territory of Sudan. Earlier, Council members agreed to extend the existing restrictions for 30 days. The United States insisted on a short extension in order to hold further negotiations rather than renew the sanctions for another year.

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Washington says that stopping foreign arms supplies and support to the parties to the conflict is necessary to end the war. The confrontation between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces has killed tens of thousands of people and forced millions to flee their homes. According to the report, about 20 million people are suffering from hunger. Both sides of the conflict are accused of serious violations during the war.

Veto power initiative

On Tuesday, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said that the veto power too often prevents the UN from acting to stop genocide, the most serious war crimes, or crimes against humanity. Earlier this year, he led efforts to revive a decade-old French initiative to regulate the use of the veto.

France has involved dozens of countries in the initiative, including Vietnam, the Bahamas, and Gambia. Paris seeks to secure the support of around 150 states before submitting a resolution for discussion at the UN General Assembly. So far, 128 of the 193 states, including the United Kingdom, have supported the initiative. France and the United Kingdom have not used the veto power since 1989. Paris's goal is to increase political pressure on Russia and the United States, which use this power most often.