Security Council adjusts Liberia sanctions; ends travel ban, keeps arms embargo in place

The United Nations Security Council today renewed an arms embargo on non-State actors in Liberia for nine months while terminating other sanctions on the country, including a travel ban and asset freeze on those deemed a danger to its stability.

Unanimously adopting a new resolution, the Council also renewed for 10 months the mandate of the Panel of Experts that assists the so-called 1521 Committee on Liberia to monitor the sanctions, reducing the panel membership from two experts to reflect the limitation of its purview to the partial arms embargo and the Government's progress in arms and border management.

The Panel of Experts on Liberia's final report and the Secretary-General's letter of 31 July noted progress in arms and ammunition management, but also highlighted weaknesses in State institutions, persistent gaps in the legal framework for the security sector, and porous borders vulnerable to trafficking.

In today's resolution, the Council urged the Government of Liberia to take further steps to combat the illicit trafficking of arms and ammunition, prioritizing the timely adoption and implementation of an effective legal framework.