By Staff writer and Agencies
The UN Security Council voted Tuesday to extend an arms embargo and sanctions imposed on individuals in South Sudan, urging all parties to “avoid a relapse into widespread conflict.”
The council resolution drafted by the United States was approved with 10 votes in favor and five members abstaining.
It expresses concern over “the continued intensification of violence prolonging the political, security, economic, and humanitarian crisis in most parts of the country.”
It extended the embargo on sales of arms until May 31, 2024.
The countries that abstained were China, Russia, Ghana, Gabon and Mozambique.
The three African countries said the sanctions were counterproductive and did not reflect progress they said South Sudan had made.
The ambassador from South Sudan, Akuei Bona Malwal, protested the vote, expressing “the objection of my country of the resolution just adopted. It is done in bad faith, ill intention.”
Following the United Nations Security Council’s decision, Tigere Chagutah, Amnesty International’s Regional Director for East and Southern Africa, welcomed the move.
“The extension of the UN arms embargo on South Sudan is welcome news for millions of civilians who have suffered human rights violations by people with guns, including horrific cases of rape and other sexual violence. The arms embargo is crucial to stem the flow of weapons into South Sudan where they have been used to commit and facilitate crimes with flagrant impunity for close to a decade, he said in a statement.
“The UN Security Council vote sends a clear message to the South Sudanese government that it must act urgently to implement the Joint Action Plan on addressing conflict-related sexual violence, among other benchmarks set by the Security Council under Resolution 2577 of May 2021.”
The government is yet to issue its response extension of the arms embargo.