Secretary-General Welcomes Security Council Resolution Terminating Liberia Sanctions Regime as Sign of Nation’s Progress towards Stability

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon:

The Secretary-General welcomes the adoption today of Security Council resolution 2288 (2016), which terminated the sanctions on Liberia.

The Secretary-General notes that targeted sanctions measures have accompanied the consolidation of peace and the rebuilding of State institutions in Liberia since 2003 and that these measures have been progressively adjusted as Liberia has met the benchmarks set out by the Council.

Today’s lifting by the Security Council of the remaining arms embargo on non-State actors further signals the significant progress made by Liberia and the subregion in maintaining stability.

The Secretary-General echoes the call in resolution 2288 (2016) on the Government of Liberia to ensure that all appropriate steps are taken to establish the necessary legal and administrative framework to combat the illicit trafficking of arms and ammunition.