The Foundation for Peace Professionals (PeacePro) has questioned what it describes as a 20-year pattern of the United States repeatedly opposing African positions at the United Nations, asking whether Washington’s relationship with Africa truly reflects strategic partnership.
PeacePro’s concern follows the September 4 UN General Assembly vote on an African Union backed resolution, where 164 countries voted in favour, six abstained and the United States stood alone in opposition.
In a statement by its Executive Director, Abdulrazaq Hamzat, PeacePro said the latest vote should prompt a broader examination of US voting behaviour towards Africa over the past two decades.
“The map is not the story. The vote is. Why does the United States so frequently find itself on the opposite side when Africa speaks collectively at the United Nations?”
PeacePro said its review of UN voting records indicates that the US has opposed almost all Africa led proposals subjected to voting during the period under review.
The organisation stressed that its question is not anti-American, but diplomatic.
“One vote can be explained as disagreement. A recurring pattern over two decades requires examination and explanation.”
PeacePro therefore asked, “If Africa is genuinely a strategic partner of the United States, why do African collective positions so often collide with Washington’s diplomatic preferences at the UN?”
PeacePro said it is examining the voting record to determine how often the US has supported, opposed or abstained from African sponsored and Africa related resolutions, and whether the pattern has remained consistent across successive US administrations.
“We are not seeking to manufacture an anti-American narrative. We are asking an uncomfortable but legitimate diplomatic question, which is that, when Africa stands together at the UN, how often does the United States stand with Africa and how often does it stand against it?”
