UN extends arms embargo and sanctions on South Sudan for one year

The United Nations Security Council has extended an arms embargo to South Sudan by a year, following a divided vote on Thursday.

The resolution extends to asset freezes, and travel bans on South Sudan and came amidst appeals by the African Union, Russia, and China's call for the council to lift or ease them.

Nine countries including Ecuador, France, Japan, Malta, the Republic of Korea, Slovenia, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States voted in favour of the sanctions as six countries opted to abstain, including; Algeria, China, Guyana, Mozambique, Russia, and Sierra Leone.

The council argued that arms shipments risk fuelling conflict and contributing to further instability, and strongly urged all Member States to identify and prevent such shipments within their territory.

In particular, States neighbouring South Sudan were called to inspect all cargo to South Sudan in their territory, if there are reasonable grounds to believe the cargo contains items the supply, sale, or transfer of which is prohibited by the sanctions.

United States Deputy Ambassador Robert Wood welcomed the resolution's adoption saying extending the U.N. arms embargo "remains necessary to stem the unfettered flow of weapons into a region flooded with guns."

Algeria, Guyana, Sierra Leone, and Mozambique which abstained from the vote, argued that it was time the council made impartial and transparent sanctions to stop what they referred to as "any attempt to use sanctions to exert political pressure on African states."

Their stand was echoed by Russia's Deputy UN Ambassador Anna Evstigneeva who accused the United States of ignoring all the positive achievements in South Sudan and rubberstamping "yet another decision that is burdensome for the country."

She accused the US of using the council's leverage to achieve its goals.

China further argued that over the years, Juba has demonstrated political will and made progress in implementing sanctions-related benchmarks.

"Nevertheless, despite the collective voices of the African Union and other organisations calling for lifting the arms embargo, the penholder has insisted on maintaining the sanctions. To ease the situation on the ground, the Council should support the South Sudanese Government rather than impose sanctions," China's Ambassador FU Cong said.

South Sudan's U.N. ambassador Cecilia Adeng called for the lifting of the "punitive" measures which she said "hinder the country's efforts to build robust security institutions that maintain stability and protect its citizens."

"Lifting of the arms embargo will empower us to further implement the agreement, enhance security and build sustainable peace. The council should focus on measures that facilitate rather than hinder our progress," she said.

South Sudan has been in conflict since December 2013 when it slid into a civil war pitting President Salva Kiir against Vice President Riek Machar, who together formed the current government of national unity in 2018 after signing a power-sharing agreement to end the war.