UN Security Council renews sanctions regime on Al-Shabaab, lifts arms embargo on Somali gov't

UNITED NATIONS, Dec. 1 (Xinhua) -- The Security Council on Friday adopted two separate resolutions to renew the sanctions regime on Somalia-based Al-Shabaab and to lift the arms embargo on the Somali government.

Resolution 2713 decides to renew till Dec. 15, 2024, the sanctions regime on Al-Shabaab, including the authorization for maritime interdiction to enforce the embargo on illicit arms imports, the charcoal export ban, and the improvised explosive device components ban.

Resolution 2713 also decides to renew the mandate of the Panel of Experts that assist the Sanctions Committee, till Jan. 15, 2025.

The resolution won 14 votes in favor out of the 15 Security Council members. France abstained.

The Security Council on Friday unanimously adopted a resolution to lift the arms embargo on the Somali government.

Resolution 2714 calls on the Somali government to continue to implement the National Weapons and Ammunition Management Strategy and to take all measures necessary to ensure that weapons, ammunition and military equipment imported for official use are not resold to, transferred to, or made available for use by any individual or entity not in the service of the federal government.

It calls on the international community to continue to provide additional support to develop weapons and ammunition management capacity in Somalia and encourages partners to coordinate their efforts to support Somalia in implementing the requirements of this resolution.