July 17th 2018 (Nyamilepedia) – The French government said this week that it welcomes the decision by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to impose arms embargo on South Sudan, and renews sanctions on South Sudan army Generals.
On Friday, the United Nations Security Council voted in favor of a United States draft resolution which sought to slaps arms embargo on South Sudan and adding two other South Sudan generals to an existing and renewed list of sanctioned South Sudan Generals.
Nine members voted in favor and most important South Sudan allies like China and Russia abstained from vote.
“France welcomes the adoption of this resolution, which renews the sanctions regime on South Sudan for one year. France has nonetheless clearly listened to our colleagues from Ethiopia and Equatorial Guinea and shares their desire for the Council to remain united in support of the political process and the action led by IGAD and the African Union,” said French ambassador to the United Nations Security Council after the vote last week.
The French diplomat said the intention by the UN Security Council to impose arms embargo and renews sanctions on generals already existed in the list is not intended to harm the ongoing peace process but to protect civilians.
“This resolution is not intended to harm the IGAD-led negotiations. Its aim is to protect civilians. It allows the establishment of an arms embargo regime, which France has been urging for several years. This embargo, by limiting the flow of weapons into South Sudan, is one of the most important measures this Council could take to protect South Sudanese civilians,” the French diplomat said.
He said the Security Council, by sanctioning other prominent South Sudan general, former SPLA Chief, Gen. Paul Malong and Gen. Malek Rueben former Deputy Chief of Staffs for Logistics, sends a clear message that ongoing atrocities are no longer acceptable.
“The Security Council, by also adopting individual sanctions against two important military leaders from each side, is sending a very clear signal: impunity in violence perpetrated against civilians and the most basic violations of human rights and international humanitarian law can no longer be accepted. The individuals trying to prolong this conflict, with no regard for their fellow citizens’ lives, must know that they will suffer the consequences,” he said.
