UN renews weapons embargo on Liberia

The United Nations Security Council voted unanimously on Friday to maintain an arms embargo on Liberia and a travel ban for another year on senior members of former President Charles Taylor’s government and others undermining peace in the country.

It also extended the mandate of the panel of experts investigating implementation of the sanctions.

Founded by freed American slaves in 1847, Liberia is Africa’s oldest republic but it has been ravaged by coups and a bloody civil war.

As Taylor’s rule was ending, Liberia was put under UN arms, timber and diamond embargoes to stop government revenues from being used to fuel civil war.

Taylor is on trial in The Hague on charges of orchestrating atrocities by rebels in Sierra Leone from 1996 to 2002 while he was ruling Liberia—allegations he denies.

The Security Council resolution adopted on Friday welcomed “the sustained progress” by Liberia’s government in rebuilding the country since Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf took office in January 2006. Her election was hailed as the West African nation’s first step toward stable, democratic government.

While the council has lifted diamond and timber sanctions, it decided “on the basis of its assessment of progress made to date” to maintain the arms embargo and travel ban.—Sapa-AP