African states have failed to halt the work of the first UN independent investigator appointed to help protect gay and transgender people worldwide from violence and discrimination. However, western countries successfully proposed an amendment that gutted the African group draft resolution. UK opposes African move to block UN's LGBT rights champion Read moreRussia and Egypt, speaking on behalf of the 57-member Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, said they would not recognize the mandate of the gay rights investigator and would not cooperate with Muntarbhorn. The issue of gay rights consistently sparks heated debate at the United Nations. In February the African Group, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and the 25-member Group of Friends of the Family, led by Egypt, Belarus and Qatar, protested the launch of six UN stamps promoting LGBT equality.

Source: The Guardian November 21, 2016 18:45 UTC