United Nations arms embargo on the Central African Republic extended for another year

United Nations Security Council has extended an arms embargo and targeted sanctions regime against the Central African Republic (CAR) for another year.

China, on the other hand, did not vote because it believes the laws should be repealed.

When mostly Muslim Selaka rebels toppled then-President Francois Bozize in December 2013, the UN Security Council imposed an arms embargo on CAR, triggering retaliation.

In 2014, when UN peacekeepers were also sent to the nation, a targeted sanctions system was agreed upon.

The 4.7 million-strong country, which is wealthy in gold and diamonds, has been engulfed in bloodshed since then.

After the decision, China’s Deputy United Nations Ambassador, Dai Bing, informed the council, “There appears to be a growing divergence between the Security Council sanctions and the evolving situation on the ground.”

The remaining 14 Security Council members decided to keep the arms embargo in place.

With the agreement of the UN Security Council’s CAR sanctions committee, the CAR government can import arms.

Dmitry Polyanskiy, Russia’s Deputy United Nations Ambassador, urged the CAR government to satisfy UN benchmarks that would allow the UN Security Council to consider removing the arms embargo next year.

The remaining 14 Security Council members decided to keep the arms embargo in place.

With the agreement of the UN Security Council’s CAR sanctions committee, the CAR government can import arms.

The Russian Foreign Ministry announced earlier this month that Russia has dispatched a group of 600 military instructors to CAR to teach the army, police, and national gendarmerie.