UN extends authorisation to inspect vessels suspected of violating Libya arms embargo
The Security Council adopted a resolution to extend the authorisation for UN member states to inspect vessels suspected of Libya arms embargo violation
- UNITED NATIONS — The Security Council adopted a resolution to extend the
authorisation for UN member states to inspect vessels suspected of Libya arms
embargo violation.
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- Resolution 2780 extends for six months the authorisation
for UN member states, acting nationally or through regional organisations, to
inspect vessels on the high seas bound to or from Libya, if they have
reasonable grounds to believe the vessels are carrying arms or related
materials in violation of an arms embargo imposed by the Security Council,
Xinhua news agency reported.
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- It requests the UN secretary-general to report to the
Security Council within five months of the adoption of this resolution on its
implementation.
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- Resolution 2780 was adopted with 13 votes in favor.
Russia and China abstained.
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- In their explanation of the vote, Russian and Chinese
representatives questioned the effectiveness of the EU operation, IRINI, which
is the only regional conduct to inspect vessels under the authorisation. They
also called out the way the intercepted items were disposed of.
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- The Security Council imposed sanctions, including an arms
embargo, on Libya in 2011 after the political turmoil that led to the toppling
of former leader Muammar Gaddafi.
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- The UNSC’s Libya Sanctions Committee has the power to
designate vessels for the purposes of the Libya sanctions regime to prohibit
transactions with crude oil illicitly exported from Libya aboard a designated
vessel and bunking services (the provision of fuel, supplies or other
servicing) for a designated vessel.
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- In June 2016, the council adopted Resolution 2292 to
authorise vessel inspections on the high seas to implement the arms embargo.
