Credit: Gary Raynaldo / Diplomatic Times  /  Anatolio Ndong Mba , Ambassador for United Nations in Equatorial Guinea,  speaks with press outside Security Council chamber.  Equatorial Guinea, along with South Africa,  and Ivory Coast refused to support continued sanctions on South Sudan during May 30, 2019 vote. 

By Gary Raynaldo         DIPLOMATIC TIMES

UNITED NATIONS    –   The UN Security Council Thursday renewed sanctions against South Sudan,  adopting Resolution 2471 (2019) by 10 Votes in Favour, with 5 Abstentions.  The Council renewed until 31 May 2020 the arms embargo it imposed on South Sudan last year, as well as the sanctions put into place in 2015 on those blocking peace in the country. The Resolution states all Member States will prevent the supply, sale or transfer to South Sudan — from or through their territories — of arms and related material, and withhold training, technical and financial assistance related to military activities or material.  However, several African  nations, along with Russia and China, voiced strong opposition to continued sanctions. The three African states favor allowing regional mediation efforts priority over Security Council-imposed  arms embargo/sanctions, due to what they maintain is political progress being made in South Sudan.

U.S. Representative to the UN Security Council, Jonathan  Cohen,   the main sponsor of the resolution,  expressed disappointment that the African members of the Council did not support it, three months after the Council unanimously adopted resolution 2457 (2019) supporting the African Union’s “Silencing the Guns in Africa by the Year 2020” initiative.

“We are disappointed that this resolution did not receive support from the three African members of the Security Council. The United States welcomes the Security Council’s support for renewing the South Sudan sanctions regime, including the arms embargo.  If there is to be any chance for lasting peace in South Sudan, we must stop the flow of weapons used to fuel conflict and terrorize civilians and take action against those responsible for undermining the peace.”

-U.S. Rep. to UN Jonathan Cohen 

Jerry Matthews Matjila , SOUTH AFRICA’s  UN representative opined that, given the ongoing political process in South Sudan, sanctions are not helpful at this time.

Credit: UN Photo / Eskinder Debebe / Jerry Matthews Matjila, Permanent Representative of the Republic of South Africa to the UN

The South Africa Ambassador called on the Security Council  to heed and support efforts being undertaken by the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and the African Union in South Sudan.  Ambassador Mtjila observed that while progress towards peace is slow, there has been a reduction in violence, as well as efforts among the parties to build confidence.

Anatolio  Ndong MBA  Equatorial Guinea  stated said, given the past year’s active dynamic towards peace through dialogue, extending the arms embargo and sanctions regime are not the right ingredients for motivating those involved in peace efforts.  Ambassador Ndong stressed  that arms embargos often work to the detriment of Governments, eventually creating situations where armed groups become better equipped.

Kacou Houadja  LÉON ADOM (Côte d’Ivoire)  said the Council’s role cannot be to simply continue imposing sanctions; it must also appreciate the progress being made and proceed from that dynamic.