Somalia Sanctions Committee Chair Briefs Security Council on Partial Lifting of Arms Embargo, among Other Matters
The Chair of the entity overseeing sanctions on Somalia briefed the Security Council today on developments related to Al-Shabaab’s threat to the country and the region, including an update on the partial lifting of an arms embargo on Mogadishu.
Kazuyuki Yamazaki (Japan), Chair of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 2713 (2023) concerning Al-Shabaab, recalled that with that adoption last year, the 15-member organ imposed an arms embargo on the group and — recognizing the progress made against the weapons and ammunition management benchmarks endorsed in resolution 2662 (2022) — decided to lift it in relation to the Government of Somalia and the Somali national armed forces. Exemptions are in place for Somalia’s federal member States and regional Governments, and for licensed private security companies operating in the country. By resolution 2713 (2023), the Council also changed the name of the Committee and of the Panel of Experts.
He noted that since 1 December 2023, the Committee has met four times in informal consultations, with the Panel of Experts presenting its plan of work on 16 February 2024. On 1 July, Panel members delivered the main findings of their comprehensive mid-term update, including addressing the various ways that Al-Shabaab continues to pose the most significant threat to peace and security in Somalia; the group’s finances; the ISIL faction in Puntland; and Government efforts on weapons and ammunition management. Committee members also discussed the three recommendations in the Panel’s update and agreed on two letters and one note verbale.
During informal consultations on 4 October, members were briefed by representatives of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) — with the former covering the humanitarian situation in Somalia and the delivery of humanitarian assistance, including impediments to its delivery. He recalled that the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs also informed that it had not received any report of provision, processing or payment of funds, other financial assets or economic resources to, or for the benefit of, designated individuals or entities, as part of the delivery of humanitarian assistance and other activities that support basic human needs in accordance with resolution 2664 (2022) — as well as of any diversion of funds or economic resources — and addressed risk management and due diligence processes in place.
He related that the UNODC briefing focused on its support in implementing resolution 2713 (2023), including disrupting Al-Shabaab’s finances, establishing the Council’s charcoal ban and preventing the resurgence of piracy off Somalia’s coast. On 11 October, informal consultations took up the final report of the Panel of Experts and its 18 recommendations, with 15 currently under Committee consideration. The Panel covered topics such as weapons and ammunition management in Somalia, Al-Shabaab’s finances and use of improvised explosive devices in complex and asymmetric attacks, and ISIL/Somalia activities in Puntland. It also addressed piracy off Somalia’s coast, international humanitarian law issues and implementation of the one-off exemption to the Council’s charcoal ban.
On 6 February, the Committee issued its fourth implementation assistance notice, “Guidance to Member States on the application of the humanitarian exemption established by resolution 2664 (2022) to the asset freeze established under resolution 1844 (2008)”. Further, on 21 May, the Committee approved the addition of three individuals to its sanctions list. During the reporting period, the Committee received two notifications pursuant to paragraph 19 (b) of resolution 2713 (2023), related to restrictions on components that may be used in manufacturing of improvised explosive devices.
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