Edmnud Yakani, the Executive Director for Community Empowerment for Progress Organization [CEPO].

A civil society activist has welcomed the renewal of the UN arms embargo on South Sudan saying it sends a signal to leaders that continued armed violence will not be tolerated by the world’s body.

On Friday last week, the UN Security Council renewed by one year the arms embargo and targeted sanctions imposed on South Sudan.

UN arms embargoes are a type of sanctions used to coerce states and non-governmental actors to improve their behaviour in the interests of international peace and security.

The Security 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 Executive Director of Community Empowerment for Progress Organization, CEPO, commended the Council for renewing the sanctions.

“We welcome the renewal [because] it sends a signal to politicians that arms are not the best way of resolving political differences,” Edmund Yakani said.

He states that the absence of major armed conflicts in the country, and the existence of a transitional government since the signing of the revitalized peace deal in 2018 should be sustained.

Mr. Yakani added that the renewal of the sanctions should encourage leaders to always embrace dialogue and peaceful resolution of conflicts.

“They can seat on the table to solve issues, and I think the renewal should add as a lesson to parties who are still using arms that there is need to resolve those problems without using arms,” he stressed.

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.