Last year, Amnesty's investigators said several South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF) soldiers were armed with Mpi-KMS-72 rifles manufactured in the former East Germany despite the arms embargo© Amnesty International

The United Nations Security Council has renewed by one year the arms embargo and targeted sanctions imposed on South Sudan.

This was done through a videoconference meeting on Friday.

The Council first slapped an arms embargo on South Sudan in 2018 and subsequently renewed it in 2019 to prevent a continuation of the country’s civil war.

The arms embargo empowers all UN Member States to prevent arms and related equipment of all types – including weapons and ammunition, military vehicles and equipment, paramilitary equipment, and any spare parts – from entering South Sudan.

The Council adopted resolution 2521 (2020) by a vote of 12 in favor to none against, with China, Russia, and South African absent.

The resolution extends the arms embargo and the targeted sanctions until May 31, 2021, but authorizes a mid-term review of the measures by December 15, 2020.

It expresses the council´s readiness to consider adjusting the sanctions, “including through modifying, suspending, lifting, or strengthening measures to respond to the situation.”

The resolution urges South Sudan´s leaders to finalize the establishment of the transitional national unity government and fully implement all provisions of the 2018 peace agreement, including allowing unhindered humanitarian access to deliver aid.

The resolution recognizes that violence has been reduced since the peace deal was signed, that the cease-fire is being upheld in most of the country, and that the transitional government is striving to address the coronavirus pandemic.

However, the Council expressed its deep concern over continued fighting in South Sudan, condemning violations of the Revitalized Agreement and the Agreement on Cessation of Hostilities, Protection of Civilians, and Humanitarian Access.

Council members went on to urge South Sudan’s leaders to finalize the formation of the Revitalized Transitional Government of National Unity while allowing full, safe and unhindered humanitarian access to all those in need.