The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is expected to vote later on Wednesday, to lift a nearly decades-old arms embargo and targeted sanctions against Eritrea after its recent peace efforts with neighbouring Ethiopia and an easing of relations with Djibouti.
The British-drafted resolution would remove sanctions imposed in 2009 after UN experts accused Eritrea of supporting armed groups in Somalia.
Given the recent rapprochement between the Horn of Africa neighbours and Ethiopia’s instrumental role as a non-permanent member of the Council, the resolution is expected to pass unanimously thereby ending an arms embargo and targeted sanctions, which includes travel bans and assets freezes imposed on entities and individuals in Eritrea.
The draft also urges Eritrea and Djibouti to work towards normalizing ties and settling a decade-long border dispute and requests the Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to report back to Council on progress by February 15th and then at 6-month intervals.
The goodwill in the region follows a decision in July by Addis Ababa and Asmara to end their state of war, agreeing to re-establishing diplomatic relations and resuming commerce and travel between the two countries.
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