The UN Security Council voted to extend an arms embargo on South Sudan, despite appeals from South Sudan, the African Union, Russia, and China to lift or ease the measure. The country’s UN ambassador, Cecilia Adeng, had tried to convince the council to lift the embargo, arguing that its existence hamper South Sudan’s progress as well as its security institutions. However, her appeal fell on deaf ears. The US-sponsored resolution passed with the minimum nine votes, while six countries, including Russia, China, and Mozambique, abstained. The resolution also extended travel bans and asset freezes on South Sudanese individuals on the UN sanctions list until May 31, 2025. U.S. deputy ambassador Robert Wood justified the extension to control weapon flow in the region. However, Russia’s deputy UN ambassador Anna Evstigneeva criticized the sanctions as outdated and burdensome.
SOURCE: AP NEWS
