US Walks Out of UN Meeting Over Human Rights Remarks

The US delegation walked out during a UN Security Council meeting following France’s comments on human rights voting comparisons.

The US delegation walked out of a UN Security Council meeting on Monday, protesting against remarks made by France that compared America’s voting record on human rights to that of authoritarian regimes.

This diplomatic clash traces back to a vote last week, where the US sided with North Korea and Russia in opposing the extension of Volker Turk’s term as UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.

In the wake of the vote, France’s UN mission criticized the US, stating, “The US used to be a beacon of human rights. Not anymore” on the social media platform X.

In retaliation, US ambassador Mike Waltz accused France of supporting a human rights leader who, according to him, had been “lecturing” democratic nations while maintaining close ties with some of the world’s most oppressive governments. However, he did not specify what he meant by that.

During the emergency Security Council session addressing Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine, the US team chose to leave as French ambassador Jerome Bonnafont began to speak. US ambassador Dan Negrea noted that the delegation intends to continue such walkouts until France “renounces their condescending and disrespectful rhetoric”.

The vote concerning Turk’s reappointment, which garnered support from 144 countries but faced opposition from 10 and 13 abstentions, reflects deepening tensions between Washington and its relationship with the United Nations. Under the Trump administration, funding for UN agencies was significantly reduced and participation in numerous entities was curtailed.

On the day of the vote, US ambassador Jeff Bartos expressed his discontent with Turk’s reappointment, warning that there will be “consequences” for an assembly that he claims enables procedural violations, “backroom deals,” and the inappropriate allocation of UN positions.

Bartos stated, “The United States will immediately reassess our engagement, participation, and funding” in light of these issues.

Conversely, French ambassador Bonnafont defended Turk, describing him as “a voice of conscience” who exhibited “rigor and impartiality” during his prior term in office.

Deputy UN spokesperson Farhan Haq refrained from commenting on the US walkout, emphasizing instead that the UN anticipates all member nations to respect its decisions.