The United Nations Security Council have voted in favour of an extension to an arms embargo on Somalia despite the African country’s strong objections, saying the al-Shabaab terrorist group is still a serious threat to peace and stability in the region and sanctions are needed to degrade its activities.
The resolution which was made at the Security Council meeting on Thursday, also expressed concern at the continued presence of the al-Qaeda-linked group as well as affiliates of the Islamic State extremist group in the Horn of African nation.
The vote to extend the embargo was approved by a vote of 11-0 with Russia, China, Gabon and Ghana abstaining in support of the call by the Somali government, backed by the African Union, to lift the arms embargo.
The resolution which was drafted by the United Kingdom, however, modifies the arms embargo to reflect the government’s progress in improving its management of weapons and ammunition.
The modification includes allowing Somalia to import “portable surface-to-air missiles, higher-caliber mortars, anti-tank guided weapons, combat drones, some aircraft and vessels designed or modified for military use, and combat drones for use by its security forces and police — unless the Security Council committee monitoring sanctions objects within five working days of receiving notification from the government.”
Britain’s deputy U.N. Ambassador James Kariuki, said the benchmarks were identified following a recent technical assessment highlighting Somalia’s progress provided “a clear roadmap that will help this council make further changes to weapons and ammunition measures in the future.”
“The steps made today will simplify processes for Somalia and its partners, and help speed up the journey,” Kariuki said.
The Security Council had first imposed the arms embargo on Somalia in 1992 to cut the flow of weapons to feuding clan-based warlords who toppled dictator Mohamed Siad Barre the previous year, plunging the country into civil war.
Somalia established a functioning transitional government in 2012 and has been working to rebuild stability in the face of extremist attacks and one of the worst droughts the country has experienced that has brought thousands to the brink of famine.