The Security Council entity overseeing sanctions on Somalia recently met twice to consider issues including weapons smuggling between that country and Yemen and investigations into Al-Shabaab’s finances, its Chair reported today, also noting that the entity’s name had been changed to reflect its focus on that terrorist group.
Ishikane Kimihiro (Japan), Chair of the Security Council Committee pursuant to resolution 751 (1992) concerning Al-Shabaab, briefed the Council on the Committee’s work covering the period of 20 October 2022 to 27 February 2023.
He first noted that the Council, through Resolution 2662 (2022), further eased the partially lifted arms embargo to support the development of Somalia’s security and police institutions; provided recommendations to reduce the size of existing Somali charcoal stockpiles; and renewed the mandate of the Panel of Experts on Somalia.
Further, that resolution modified the Committee’s name to highlight the focus of the sanctions regime on Al-Shabaab.
Pointing out that the Committee has met twice in informal consultations over the reporting period, he said that, on 29 November 2022, the body met with the Security Council Committee established pursuant to Resolution 2140 (2014) concerning Yemen as the two bodies were briefed on issues relating to the smuggling of weapons between Somalia and Yemen.
On 17 February, the Committee met to receive a presentation on the Panel of Experts’ work programme for 2023.
The Panel’s Coordinator informed Committee members that, pursuant to its mandate, the Panel would continue investigating Al‑Shabaab’s finances — including seaport operations in Somalia that may generate revenue for the group — along with potential violations of the arms embargo and the charcoal ban.
In other business, he noted that the Committee sent letters regarding the recommendations contained in the Panel’s final report for 2022, submitted under Resolution 2607 (2021), to various Member States, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM), African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS), United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs and the European Union.
It also sent a note verbale to all Member States. He also reported that the Committee recently received two letters from Somalia relating to charcoal — the first pertaining to charcoal onboard the vessel MV Fox and the second to existing charcoal stockpiles.
He added that he will report on the statistics relating to the arms embargo and improvised explosive device exemption notifications in his next briefing to the Council. The representative of Somalia then addressed the Council