Originally posted by the Voice of America.
Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America,
a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in
the public domain.


UN Renews South Sudan Arms Embargo

by Margaret Besheer

   UNITED NATIONS --

   The U.N. Security Council renewed sanctions on South Sudan Thursday for
   another year, including an arms embargo. But none of the council's
   three African members supported the measure.
   Last year, after earlier failed attempts, the Security Council imposed
   sanctions, including an arms embargo, against South Sudan, where
   political violence has caused a massive humanitarian disaster,
   including deaths, displacement and widespread food insecurity.

   Five of the 15 council members abstained on the vote -- Russia, China,
   Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea and South Africa. The measure passed as
   it required only nine positive votes and no veto.

   South African envoy Jerry Matjila said sanctions are not useful to the
   political process.

   "When there is a volatile political process on the table it should be
   safeguarded and exempt from external pressure, which can aggravate the
   situation," he said.

   While Equatorial Guinea's ambassador, Anatolio Ndong Mba, said his
   government supports sanctions to a certain extent, renewing them now
   would not motivate the parties to achieve peace.

   "We believe there is a good time to impose them and a time when it is
   not appropriate," he said. "We need to give the political stakeholders
   an opportunity to continue in this dynamic of achieving peace through
   peaceful means and through dialogue."

   In September, the two main parties agreed to implement a revitalized
   peace agreement and end hostilities. While the situation has stabilized
   slightly, there are still more than 4 million people displaced inside
   and outside the country, and almost 6.5 million South Sudanese who are
   severely food insecure.

   China said it abstained on the vote because it did not support imposing
   an arms embargo last year and it still does not support it.

   But other council members pointed out that the proliferation of weapons
   in South Sudan has only added to the population's misery and threatened
   the fragile peace.

   "With the peace deal only recently extended, for this council to allow
   an unhindered flow of arms into the country right now would surely be
   irresponsible, and risk fueling further violence, and it would send a
   terrible signal to the people of South Sudan," said Stephen Hickey,
   Britain's political coordinator.

   The U.S. envoy said there are many factors in addition to sanctions
   that have contributed to the shift toward peace, including a larger
   leadership role taken by regional actors. Ambassador Jonathan Cohen
   urged the region to maintain pressure on the parties to implement the
   revitalized peace agreement and to uphold the arms embargo.