UN Security Council renews Haiti sanctions regime

Representatives vote on a draft resolution during a UN Security Council meeting at the UN headquarters in New York, on Oct. 19, 2023. The UN Security Council on Thursday renewed the sanctions regime on Haiti, which includes an arms embargo, travel ban and assets freeze measures. (Loey Felipe/UN Photo/Handout via Xinhua)

UNITED NATIONS, Oct. 19 (Xinhua) -- The UN Security Council on Thursday renewed the sanctions regime on Haiti, which includes an arms embargo, travel ban and assets freeze measures.

Resolution 2700, which won the unanimous support of the 15-member council, extends the restrictive measures for one year from the date of the adoption of this resolution.

The resolution directs the Sanctions Committee to consider expeditiously the update of the list of individuals and entities subject to travel ban and assets freeze.

The resolution reaffirms the expansion of the arms embargo from designated individuals and entities to the whole country, except for UN entities, the UN-authorized Multinational Security Support mission, Haitian security units as well as case-by-case approval by the Sanctions Committee.

The Security Council adopted Resolution 2653 in October 2022, which established a sanctions regime on Haiti. But the arms embargo targeted only designated individuals and entities. In Resolution 2699 adopted on Oct. 2, 2023, the arms embargo was expanded to the whole country.

Resolution 2700 decides to extend the mandate of the Panel of Experts, which is tasked to assist the Sanctions Committee, for a period of 13 months from the date of the adoption of this resolution.

It requests that the Panel of Experts to provide to the Security Council an interim report by March 29, 2024, and a final report no later than Oct. 1, 2024.

It requests the UN secretary-general to conduct an assessment of progress in Haiti's security situation no later than Oct. 1, 2024.