Audio By Carbonatix
Rwanda has been elected to sit on the United Nations Security Council for the next two years.
The vote comes a day after a leaked UN report said Rwanda was supporting a rebellion in neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo.
Five non-permanent seats to the 15-member council were decided at the United Nations on Thursday.
Argentina, Australia, South Korea and Luxembourg have also been elected to sit on the Security Council.
According to a confidential report by the UN Security Council's Group of Experts, seen by Reuters news agency, Rwanda's defence minister was relaying military orders to M23 rebel leaders who have been fighting DRC's army since April.
The experts also accused Uganda of backing the rebels.
Both governments in Kampala and Kigali strenuously denied the allegations.
The DRC raised a formal objection to Rwanda's candidacy but one of Kigali's UN diplomats said voters would not be swayed by the "baseless report".
Rwanda will take the seat currently filled by South Africa on 1 January.
BBC UN correspondent Barbara Plett said there was a well-established pattern of rotation on the Security Council, with eastern Africa due to take the African seat for 2013-14. There was an agreement to put Rwanda forward, and no other country contested it, she said.
In a statement, Rwandan Foreign Minister Louise Mushikiwabo said her government could offer a unique perspective on matters of war and peace because of the 1994 genocide in which a million Tutsis died.
The contrast could not be sharper between now and 1993-4 "when a genocidal government occupied a prized Security Council seat," she said.
Philippe Bolopion, UN Director of New York-based campaign group Human Rights Watch, said that with a seat on the Security Council, Rwanda would be in a position to block any sanctions against its officials.
"If they were, after being elected to the UN Security Council, to immediately stop all their support to M23 that would be great news. But nothing in their recent behaviour would suggest that it would happen," he told the BBC World Service's Focus on Africa programme.
DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.
Tags:
DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.
Latest Stories
-
Chaos mar NDC branch elections in Assin Central Constituency
2 hours -
Wontumi knew he would be convicted – Appiah-Kubi
2 hours -
GIMPA graduates tasks to master modern digital tools to be competitive
2 hours -
Oti High Court adjourns NPP Krachi East Organiser election dispute to October
2 hours -
Court issues bench warrant for man accused of threatening EOCO staff
2 hours -
Vice President Opoku-Agyemang engages Ghanaians in Maryland, United States
2 hours -
UG graduates urged to uphold integrity, excellence
2 hours -
Gabonese President to begin three-day official visit to Ghana on July 28
2 hours -
Accra-Tema residents advocate stricter enforcement of sanitation laws
2 hours -
Financing key to unlocking Africa’s energy potential – John Jinapor
2 hours -
Opoku-Agyemang delivers keynote address at Sister Cities International 70th anniversary
2 hours -
Government urged to establish community autism units
2 hours -
Mahama leads Ghanaians to mark 14th Anniversary of Prof Mills’ passing
2 hours -
Police urge peaceful Homowo celebration, warn against violence
3 hours -
NDC insists government appointees must resign before contesting party executive elections
3 hours