UN Security Council renews sanctions against CAR

Dai Bing (C), charge d'affaires of China's permanent mission to the United Nations, signals his country's abstention in a United Nations Security Council vote at the UN headquarters in New York, on July 29, 2021. United Nations Security Council on Thursday adopted a resolution extending for one year its arms embargo on the Central African Republic (CAR) - as well as a travel ban and assets freeze imposed on certain individuals and entities, as designated by its sanctions committee - and renewing for 13 months the mandate of the Panel of Experts tasked with assisting that body. (Loey Felipe/UN Photo/Handout via Xinhua)

UNITED NATIONS, July 29 (Xinhua) -- United Nations Security Council on Thursday adopted a resolution extending for one year its arms embargo on the Central African Republic (CAR) - as well as a travel ban and assets freeze imposed on certain individuals and entities, as designated by its sanctions committee - and renewing for 13 months the mandate of the Panel of Experts tasked with assisting that body.

Adopting Resolution 2588 under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter by a vote of 14 in favor to none against with one abstention (China), the Council decided to extend until July 31, 2022 measures obliging all member states to take steps to prevent the supply, sale or transfer of arms and related materiel - as well as technical assistance, training, financial or other assistance related to military activities - to the CAR, from or through their territory or by their nationals.

By the terms of the text, the Council laid out a range of measures for which those terms shall not apply, including the transfer of supplies, humanitarian and other assistance provided to the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic, the CAR forces, French troops and others, as notified in advance to the sanctions committee.

In addition, the Council decided to renew until July 31, 2022 the travel ban and assets freeze set out in paragraphs 9, 14, and 16 to 19 of Resolution 2399 and extended in Resolution 2536.

By the terms of those earlier texts, the organ had decided that member states shall take measures to prevent the entry into, or transit through, their territories of individuals designated by the sanctions committee.