Russia suffered a defeat after failing to block Ukraine’s entry into the Executive Board of the World Health Organization (WHO), AFP reports.

The ten countries that sit on the Executive Board for three-year terms are usually elected together by the World Health Assembly, which is currently in its 76th session in Geneva.

But due to Moscow’s attempt to block Ukraine’s access to the 34-member forum, which plays an important role in WHO management, a vote had to be taken – for the first time since 1977.

As a result, there was no appeal, and the nominees nominated by each of the six WHO regions were elected with 123 votes and 13 abstentions.

“Today’s vote (on Friday, no) meant a resounding defeat for Russia, which failed in its reckless attempts to undermine the authority of WHO regional committees and disrupt the work of the World Health Assembly and its executive committee,” he congratulated the ambassador. Ukraine at the UN, Geneva, Evgenia Filipenko.

“Health should not be politicized. The OMS must be able to function normally. France congratulates Ukraine on its election together with nine other countries to the Executive Council, despite Russia’s attempts to prevent it,” said the message of the French representation at the UN on Twitter.

Instead, the representative of Russia said that he deeply regrets that “the Assembly voted for a country that only further politicizes the activities of the Executive Committee.”

“We are against the politicization of the activities of the World Health Assembly and WHO as a whole,” he assured.

North Korea joined the WHO Executive Board

But this was not the only tense conversation during the meeting.

The United States deplored the inclusion of North Korea, in turn, in the group of 34 countries that make up the Executive Board, at the suggestion of the WHO South-East Asia Region.

The American representative criticized “the appalling history of the Democratic Republic of North Korea in the field of human rights violations, which is regularly documented by the UN and widely condemned by the international community.”

She called on Pyongyang to “respect human rights, fulfill its obligations under Security Council (UN) resolutions and practice serious and steady diplomacy.”

The North Korean delegation’s response was equally sharp, after it assured that it was working with everyone in a “spirit of cooperation and solidarity”.

“We deeply regret that the country (…) is trying to abuse this forum for its own nefarious political purposes and encourages confrontation,” she condemned.

In addition to Ukraine and North Korea, Australia, Barbados, Cameroon, Comoros Islands, Switzerland, Lesotho, Qatar and Togo joined the WHO Executive Board. (news.ro)