The United Nations (UN) Security Council has voted to lift restrictions on weapons sales to Somalia, more than 30 years after a ban was first imposed on the country.
The United Nations Security Council imposed an embargo on Somalia in 1992 to disrupt the supply of weapons to warring warlords who had ousted Mohamed Siad Barre, precipitating the country’s descent into civil war.
Al-Shabaab, an al-Qaeda-affiliated group, had taken control of southern and central Somalia before Ethiopian, Kenyan, and African Union (AU) peacekeeping troops launched a counter-offensive in 2011, backed by the US.
In 2013, the United Nations Security Council partially lifted the ban for a year, allowing the government to purchase light weapons to aid in its fight against Islamist militants.
The 15-member body adopted two British-drafted resolutions on Friday: lifting the full arms ban and reimposing an arms embargo on al Qaeda-linked militants.
“For the avoidance of doubt, that there is no arms embargo on the Government of the Federal Republic of Somalia,” the resolution said.
The resolution also expressed concern about the lack of safe ammunition storage facilities in Somalia and encouraged the construction, renovation, and use of safe ammunition depots throughout the country.
Somalia’s UN ambassador, Abukar Osman, said the decision would allow the government to combat terrorism more effectively.
“The lifting of the arms embargo enables us to confront security threats,” Osman said.
“It also allows us to bolster the capacity of the Somali security forces by accessing lethal arms and equipment to adequately safeguard our citizens and our nation.”
In accordance with the body’s decision, the UN Security Council also requested that foreign countries assist Somalia in its fight against terrorism.