UN renews Somalia-Eritrea arms embargo

The U.N. Security Council has renewed an arms embargo on Somalia and Eritrea citing a continuing threat from al-Qaida-linked al-Shabab militants.

The 15-member council on Thursday approved the renewal of sanctions with 10 nations voting in favour and five abstaining.

“The sanctions are preventing al-Shabab from having the incoming weapons that they otherwise would,” Matthew Rycroft, the U.N. ambassador from the United Kingdom, which drafted the resolution, said before the vote.

China, a veto-holding council member, abstained.

China’s deputy U.N. ambassador said the sanctions were not conducive to strengthening co-operation between the countries in the region and said it hoped the council will take into account the changes on the ground and adjust the embargo accordingly.

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