Annan appoints expert panel to follow-up on Liberia sanctions

United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan has appointed an expert panel to undertake a five-month assessment mission to Liberia and neighbouring countries to investigate compliance with - and possible socio-economic impacts of - international sanctions levied against Monrovia.

The appointments were announced in a letter by the Secretary-General to the President of the Security Council released today at UN Headquarters in New York. Citing Liberia's "active support" of rebel groups and the resultant destabilizing effects on the West African sub-region, the Council unanimously re-established the expert body in early May, when it renewed sanctions against Liberia, and extended the measures to include a ban on timber exports in addition to existing arms and diamond embargoes.

The Panel will investigate and compile a report on the Government of Liberia's compliance with the demands contained in resolution 1343, adopted in 2001 in response to concerns about the reported transit of illicit diamonds - which were being traded to fuel the conflict in Sierra Leone - through Liberia.

Along with investigating any violations of the measures referred to in subsequent resolutions adopted by the Council, the Panel was also asked to investigate the effects on the Liberian populace of the Government's diversion of any funds from civilian purposes, to assess the possible socio-economic and humanitarian impact of the ban on timber exports, and make recommendations by 7 August on how to minimize such impact.

The Panel will be chaired by Atabou Bobian of Senegal, and also includes Enrico Carisch of Switzerland, Damien Callamand of France, Arthur Blondell of Canada, Caspar Fithen of the United Kingdom and Harjit Singh Kelley of Kenya.

In other news, the Council committee which monitors the sanctions against Liberia announced yesterday that it had approved the removal of two individuals from its list of persons affected by the measures. Francis M. Carbah, also known as Francis Kabah, Former Minister of Transport and former Economic Advisor to President Charles Taylor and Y. Mewasah Paye-Bayee former Minister of Posts and Telecommunications, were both de-listed on 6 June.