Media Home
UN Web TV
UN Audiovisual Library
UN PhotoSecurity Council
Central African Republic - 8712th Security Council Meeting
The Security Council today decided to renew its Central African Republic sanctions regime for six months — including an arms and ammunition embargo, with a number of exemptions — while renewing the mandate its related Panel of Experts for seven months.
Adopting resolution 2507 (2020) under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations by a vote of 10 in favour to none against, with 2 abstentions (China, Russian Federation), the Council decided that Member States will continue to prevent the supply, sale or transfer of arms and related material to the Central African Republic until 31 July. It also decided to extend until 31 August the mandate of the Panel of Experts tasked with assisting its Central African Republic sanctions committee.
However, the Council also outlined a range of exemptions to the arms embargo. Those included supplies intended solely to support the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) and training missions deployed by the European Union and France; supplies of non-lethal equipment and assistance intended solely to support the security sector reform process; supplies brought into the country by Chadian or Sudanese forces solely for their use in international patrols; and supplies of non-lethal military equipment intended solely for humanitarian or protective use, among several other exemptions.
Speaking after the adoption, several representatives welcomed the resolution as a positive compromise, while also expressing regret that the Council lacked unanimity on the matter. However, others described the security situation in the Central African Republic as steadily improving and said the sanctions regime should be lifted in response.
“It is regrettable that this unity could not be fully reached in the end,” said the representative of Germany, noting that the resolution was intended to send a message of solidarity to the Central African Republic — especially in light of the country’s upcoming elections. Assuring Bangui of Germany’s strong support, he said much remains to be done as attacks against civilians continue unabated in some parts of the Central African Republic. Today’s adoption must be seen against the backdrop of the widespread availability of small arms and light weapons across many parts of Africa, he said.
Niger’s representative, also speaking on behalf of South Africa and Tunisia, praised efforts by the Central African Republic Government to restore peace and stability. Emphasizing that sanctions regimes must not be treated as a goal in and of themselves — but instead as a tool to restore stability — he said the text adopted today responds to Bangui’s various requests, paving the way to allow the defence forces to equip themselves and push back the armed groups that threaten peace and stability.
The representative of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines agreed that sanctions are an imperfect tool. However, among the basket of corrective options currently available, they are likely to yield some intended results with minimal collateral effects. “To be clear, our desire is not to punish the Central African Republic, but to support the State as it restores its own authority and fulfils its responsibility of protecting civilians,” she stressed.
The representative of the Russian Federation said his country was unable to vote in favour of the resolution as neither official requests from Bangui nor the views of Moscow were considered in its drafting process. Warning that the arms embargo detracts from the ability of the Central African Republic’s security forces to maintain peace and security, he said armed groups active in the country have no trouble obtaining weapons through illicit sources. Against that backdrop, he pledged to further review the Council’s sanctions regime in July, with a view to their full lifting.
The representative of the Central African Republic welcomed the resolution’s adoption even though it did not attain consensus. Welcoming the further easing of some of the embargo’s restrictions, she nevertheless drew attention to recent violence, underlining the need for her Government’s defence and security forces to intervene quickly to stop criminal activities. For that reason, Bangui continues to seek a complete lifting of the arms embargo.
Also speaking today were representatives of France, Dominican Republic, Estonia, Belgium, Indonesia, China, United Kingdom, United States and Viet Nam.
The meeting began at 10:06 a.m. and ended at 10:42 a.m.
For further details please see SOURCE below.
MEETINGS COVERAGE
