The UN Security Council on Monday adopted a resolution that extended sanctions on Somalia’s regime for a year that would also target al-Shabaab's finances.
The council voted 12-2 with Russia and China abstaining on resolution 2607 (2021).
Al-Shabaab has claimed a series of attacks in the country and region.
The resolution shifts the focus from Somalia sanctions to al-Shabaab/Somalia sanctions, by underscoring the threat of terrorism posed by the Al-Qaeda linked group to international peace and security.
By seeking and voting for these changes, Kenya expressed her continuing support of efforts to degrade the capacity of al-Shabaab to undertake its dangerous activities in the region that include terror attacks, recruitment and radicalisation into terrorism and exploitation of Somali’s financial system to generate illegal revenue for terrorism financing.
The resolution contends that the state-building project in Somalia has been exploited by terrorist groups including al-Shabaab and therefore sustained progress needs to be made in that regard.
It also expresses concern about the ability of al-Shabaab to exploit the trade in sugar, which is part of the source of their finances.
It further notes that al-Shabaab continues to be the main perpetrator in the rising recruitment of children and abductions.
REDUCE THREAT
The resolutions underscored that the Security Council’s objective in this resolution is to, among others, reduce the threat to peace and security posed by the terrorist group and by reducing the destabilising impact of its activities, in Somalia and the region.
The agreement seeks to improve maritime domain awareness to disrupt al-Shabaab's exploitation of maritime flows and disrupt all forms of trafficking in licit and illicit goods that may finance terrorist activities in Somalia.
It further seeks to prevent the group’s illicit revenue generation, including from the sale of charcoal, and reduce the threat posed by Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs).
In that regard, expands the arms embargo to include inspections of vessels by the Member States when they have reasonable ground to believe that such vessels are carrying charcoal, weapons and other military equipment or IED components.
“However, the resolution also notes that the arms embargo does not apply to weapons, military equipment, technical advice, financial and other assistance and training related to military activities intended solely for the development of the Somali National Security Forces,” a statement by Kenya's Permanent Representative to UN Martin Kimani read.
The exemption is also extended to, among others, United Nations and African Union missions in Somalia as well as States or international, regional and subregional organizations undertaking measures to suppress acts of piracy and armed robbery off the coast of Somalia.
The Council called upon the international community to provide additional and coordinated support to help the federal government and federal member states continue to develop their weapons and ammunition management capacity, with a particular focus on training, storage, support for infrastructure and distribution, technical assistance and capacity building.
Edited by D Tarus
