UNSC Members Discuss Conditions For Lifting Eritrea Sanctions

United Nations Security Council 

By Whats In Blue

Somalia-Eritrea sanctions

Also on Monday, the chair of the 751/1907 Somalia and Eritrea Sanctions Committee, Ambassador Kairat Umarov (Kazakhstan), will brief the Council on the work of the Committee, followed by consultations. Umarov will update the Council on his observations following his 4-10 May visit to Djibouti, Kenya, Somalia and Ethiopia, during which he was accompanied by representatives from Ethiopia, Kuwait, the Netherlands and Sweden. The delegation was unable to visit Eritrea.

An encouraging development occurred on 8 July, when Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki met in Asmara and signed a peace agreement, ending a 20-year conflict. They restored diplomatic relations and agreed to open embassies, resume flight services and for Ethiopia to use port facilities in Eritrea. In a visit to Ethiopia the following day, the Secretary-General said that this could lead to the removal of UN sanctions on Eritrea.

On 23 July, Ambassador Tekeda Alemu (Ethiopia) updated Council members on the recent developments under “any other business”. It seems that Ethiopia is now pushing to have sanctions lifted on Eritrea. Council members have started discussing the issue to determine under what conditions sanctions could be lifted.

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