The UN Security Council on Wednesday, unanimously adopted a resolution that terminates the Liberia arms embargo imposed in 2003.
By this resolution, the15-Member council ended the arms measures imposed on Liberia.
The sanctions on Liberia have been reduced over the years to include only an armsembargo on non-state actors and a requirement that the 1521 Committee be notified in advance of arms transfers to the Liberian government.
The Council encouraged the government to expedite the adoption and implementation of arms management legislation and other steps to establish the necessary legal and administrative framework to combat illicit trafficking of arms and ammunition.
Members stressed the need for Liberia to continue to make progress related to arms and border management in order to further contribute to the country’s peace and stability.
NAN recalls that in September 2015, council, through resolution 2237, terminated the asset freeze and travel ban measures, which resulted in the delisting of 51 individuals and entities on its sanctions list.
On 13 May, Amb. Volodymyr Yelchenko, Chair of the Liberia sanctions committee, briefed members in consultations on the committee’s activities and the final report of the Panel of Experts.
During the consultations, the U.S. informed members of its plans to end the sanctions in the upcoming resolution.
Other members in their interventions expressed support for the idea.
During his briefing, Yelchenko highlighted the Panel’s concerns about the potential threat of terrorism to Liberia given the recent attacks in Cote d’Ivoire and operational challenges of law enforcement in controlling the illicit movements of arms and ammunition.
Moreover, he said, In spite of some progress, Liberia has still not adopted the draft firearms and ammunition control act, and the marking of the security forces’ arms is incomplete.
He said the Panel of Experts has repeatedly reported that the government lacks the legal framework to regulate the purchase and possession of arms.
In spite of these concerns, members agreed that Liberia was stable nearly thirteen years after the end of the civil war, and that most of these are problems of governance for which sanctions are not the most appropriate tool.
NAN reports that the Liberia sanctions regime previously included sanctions on rough diamonds and timber that were completely lifted in 2007 and monitored by the Panel of Experts until December 2013.