Security Council

5931^st Meeting (PM)

SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION 1823 (2008) TERMINATES PROHIBITIONS ON SALES OF ARMS,

MATERIEL FOR USE BY NON-GOVERNMENTAL FORCES IN RWANDA

 

Welcoming recent steps towards the restoration of peace and stability in the Great Lakes region, the Security Council this afternoon terminated several measures imposed in the wake of the devastating 1994 Rwanda genocide to prohibit the sale and supply of arms and related materiel for use in that country.

Acting under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter, the Council unanimously adopted resolution 1823 (2008), by which it decided to terminate the prohibitions imposed by paragraphs 9 and 10 of resolution 1011 (1995).  Paragraph 9 required “all States shall continue to prevent the sale or supply […] of arms and related materiel of all types, including weapons and ammunition, military vehicles and equipment, paramilitary police equipment and spare parts, to Rwanda, or to persons in the States neighbouring Rwanda if such sale or supply is for the purpose of the use of such arms or materiel within Rwanda, other than to the Government of Rwanda”.

Also terminated were the requirements of paragraph 10 of that resolution, which prohibited reselling, transferring or making available arms or related materiel for use by any neighbouring State or person not in the service of the Government of Rwanda.  The Council also decided to dissolve the Committee established in 1994 to monitor the arms embargo concerning Rwanda.

By the text adopted today, the Council, while stressing the need for States in the region to ensure that arms and related materiel delivered to them were not diverted or used by illegal armed groups, welcomed the entry into force of the region-wide Great Lakes Pact on Security, Stability and Development, which had been adopted last year at the Second Summit of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region.

It also recalled the joint communiqué signed by the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda on 9 November 2007 and the outcome of the Conference for Peace, Security and Development in North and South Kivu, held in January 2008, which together “represent a major step towards the restoration of lasting peace and stability in the Great Lakes region”.

The meeting began at 3:10 p.m. and ended at 3:15 p.m.

Resolution

The full text of resolution 1823 (2008) reads as follows:

“The Security Council,

“Recalling its resolution 918 (1994), resolution 1005 (1995), resolution 1011 (1995), resolution 1013 (1995), resolution 1053 (1996), resolution 1161 (1998), and resolution 1749 (2007),

“Having considered the report of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 918 (1994) concerning Rwanda of 31 December 2007 (S/2007/782) and the oral report of the Chairman of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 918 (1994) concerning Rwanda of 22 May 2008,

“Stressing the importance of the cooperation of all States, in particular those in the region, with the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1533 (2004) concerning the Democratic Republic of the Congo and with the Group of Experts established by resolution 1533 (2004), while carrying out its mandate as renewed by resolution 1807 (2008),

“Stressing further the need for States in the region to ensure that arms and related materiel delivered to them are not diverted to or used by illegal armed groups,

“Recalling the joint communiqué of the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Government of the Republic of Rwanda signed in Nairobi on 9 November 2007 and the outcome of the Conference for Peace, Security and Development in the North and South Kivu, held in Goma from 6 to 23 January 2008, which together represent a major step towards the restoration of lasting peace and stability in the Great Lakes region, and looking forward to their full implementation,

“Welcoming the entry into force of the Pact on Security, Stability and Development in the Great Lakes Region and stressing the importance of its full implementation,

“Reiterating its call upon the States of the region to deepen further their cooperation with a view to consolidating peace in the region,

“Acting under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations,

“1.   Decides to terminate the prohibitions imposed by paragraphs 9 and 10 of resolution 1011 (1995);

“2.   Decides further to dissolve the Committee established pursuant to resolution 918 (1994) concerning Rwanda.”

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For information media • not an official record