The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on Tuesday unanimously adopted a resolution extending sanctions, including an arms and ammunition embargo, on the Central African Republic for an additional one year.
According to Resolution 2536 (2020), “member states should continue to prevent the supply, sale or transfer of arms and related material” until July 31, 2021.
A panel of experts, which helps the UNSC implement the sanctions, also had its mandate extended until the end of August next year.
The panel is expected to submit a midterm report on various security aspects of the country before end of January 2021 and then a final report before end of August, when its mandate expires.
The resolution also gives the UNSC the latitude to review the sanctions in place when necessary with regard to the nation’s security situation and any progress in major benchmarks.
The panel was also tasked with reviewing reports of illegal transnational trafficking networks which continue to fund and supply armed groups in the country.
Travel bans and asset freezes are also among some of the sanctions contained in Resolution 2536.
The Central African Republic has been unstable since gaining independence from France in 1960 and was plunged into further turmoil in 2013 when Muslim rebels from the Seleka umbrella group seized power in the majority-Christian country.
Violence has persisted in the country despite a peace deal being reached between the government of the Central African Republic and 14 rebel groups in early 2019 following weeks of talks in Sudan.
Violence in the country has killed thousands and displaced millions of others from their homes.
