The American delegation walked out of a UN Security Council meeting on Friday in sharp protest over remarks by France. The diplomatic clash erupted after France compared Washington’s voting on human rights issues to that of authoritarian states—following the U.S. vote against extending the term of Volker Türk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.
1+After the vote, France’s UN mission in Geneva declared that “the United States was once a beacon of human rights. No longer.” U.S. Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz accused France of backing someone who “preached” to democratic nations while “kowtowing to the world’s worst oppressors.” Türk has previously criticized Russia’s war in Ukraine and Israel’s conduct in Gaza.
A senior American official, Dan Negrea, said the U.S. delegation will continue taking similar positions until France “abandons its condescending and dismissive rhetoric.” U.S. Ambassador Jeff Bertos criticized Türk’s reappointment and said there will be “consequences” for an assembly that “tolerates procedural violations and abuse of UN positions.” He added that the U.S. “will immediately reassess its engagement, participation, and funding.”
1+French Ambassador Jérôme Bonnafont, meanwhile, described Türk as a “voice of conscience” who demonstrated “rigor and impartiality” during his first term. UN Deputy Spokesman Farhan Haq declined to comment on the American delegation’s walkout, adding that the UN expects all member states to respect the decision that was made.