UNMIL Exempted From UN Embargo on Weapons Imported by Troop Contributing Countries and Their Contingents to Support the Mission
MONROVIA, Liberia, July 10, 2009/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) notes with concern the articles appearing in this morning’s “News” newspaper and in “Front Page Africa Online”, on the importation of weapons into Liberia by UNMIL. The article contains a number of inaccuracies which require correction.
The article refers to the fact that there is ‘uncertainty’ surrounding the need for new weaponry for the UNMIL Ghanaian Contingent, given that UNMIL is already within ‘draw-down mode’.
In order to carry out their mandate, all peace-keeping contingents, no matter what their Security Council mandated size, require all their equipment to be in a state of permanent readiness. This imperative applies to weapons, vehicles and communications equipment. In the case of the Ghanaian contingent’s weapons, since the battalion was already present in Liberia, it would not have been an efficient use of resources to supply weapons from the point of manufacture through their home country, Ghana. Instead the weapons were shipped directly to their point of use – Liberia. Vehicles and other equipment were similarly sent directly to Liberia. As the article notes, this was done with the full knowledge and agreement of the Government of Ghana.
Following a written request for clarification from the Liberian Minister of Defence, a letter was sent by UNMIL to the Minister on 2 July. The letter explained the legal provisions which allow UNMIL troop contributing countries to import weapons and ammunition for their troops operating within peacekeeping missions.
Security Council resolution 1521 (2003) paragraph 2(a) requires all states to prevent the sale or supply to Liberia of ‘arms and related material, …including weapons and ammunition.’ However, paragraph 2(d) of the resolution specifically exempts from the embargo the supply of arms and related material intended solely for support of, or use by UNMIL.
The exemption of UNMIL from the embargo extends to weapons imported by UNMIL troop contributing countries, and their contingents, in order to meet their obligations to support the Mission.
The articles in the media also include allegations concerning the sale of a handgun by a Nigerian peacekeeper to an alleged armed robber, currently being held in Monrovia Central Prison. Following a careful investigation, UNMIL has determined that the handgun in question is not in the weapons inventory of the Nigerian Army.
Further questioning of the alleged armed robber also elicited the information that the name of the UNMIL Nigerian soldier who purportedly sold the weapon, does not appear in the nominal rolls of the Nigerian battalions that were in UNMIL at the time that the weapon was allegedly sold.
UNMIL wishes to reaffirm that it maintains strict procedures for the tracking of all weapons imported by its contingents.
While UNMIL respects the right of the Liberian media to cover its activities within the country, a simple reading of the relevant SC Resolution (1521) would have provided the required answers.
SOURCE
Mission of UN in Liberia
