THE UNITED NATIONS, November 14. /TASS/. The United Nations Security Council has unanimously lifted sanctions against Eritrea in Resolution 2244 drafted by the United Kingdom.
In 2009, the UN Security Council imposed economic sanctions on Eritrea and in 2013, an arms embargo. Resolution 2244 immediately lifts the arms embargoes, travel bans, asset freezes and targeted sanctions against the country. This became possible in the wake of encouraging developments in the Horn of Africa region, as Eritrea had agreed a peace deal with Ethiopia and had resolved a border dispute with Djibouti.
"This resolution lifts sanctions on Eritrea and shows [UN Security] Council’s continued support to efforts to improve peace and security in Somalia," British UN Ambassador Karen Pierce said during the session.
"Not only is it a very important step for the countries in the region, I think it sends a helpful wider signal to the international community that if the right steps are taken sanctions can be lifted," Pierce said.
Russia’s Permanent Representative to the UN Vassily Nebenzia hailed the resolution but pointed out that it "would not solve the chronic regional problems at one stroke."
"We concurrently believe that solutions to all issues remaining between these countries (Eritrea and Djibouti - TASS) fall within the competence of bilateral diplomacy," he noted. "If necessary, the sides might avail themselves of mediators’ kind services along with other international mechanisms envisaged for these purposes."
In the Russian UN ambassador’s opinion, "regular and, what is more amazing, indefinite reporting imposed by a group of countries looks like an excessive requirement."
In the same resolution, the UN Security Council extended the arms embargo on Somalia until December 15, 2019 and ruled to set up an expert group seeking solutions to the crisis in that country.