UN Panel of Experts in a previous meeting with JMEC in South Sudan. PHOTO//JMEC

The UN Security Council is expected to renew the mandate of the Sanctions Committee Panel of Experts on South Sudan tomorrow.

The committee comprising of 15 members of the council was instituted in 2015 to oversee sanctions related to South Sudan and their implementation. Its mandate expires on May 10^th this year.

In a statement published on its official website, the council will first be briefed on UNMISS and its activities by the Undersecretary-General, Lacroix.

This will be followed by a presentation from the chairperson of the sanctions committee, Ambassador Joanna Wronecka of Poland.

On 11 April, the 2206 South Sudan Sanctions Committee was briefed on the final report of the Panel of Experts (S/2018/292).

The report concluded that “given the lack of political will to implement ongoing peace efforts, and absent robust pressure from the region and the international community, the situation in the country will continue to deteriorate, with enormous humanitarian and regional security implications”.

It reiterated previous recommendations for the Council members to impose additional targeted sanctions and an arms embargo.

The council members are expected to adopt a resolution that extends the sanctions committee’s mandate and that of the Sanctions regime for another term.

These include travel bans and asset freezes that were first imposed on officials in both the government and opposition in 2015, after repeated ceasefire violations.

On the side of the government were General Marial Chaunuong, Gen Jok Riak, and Gen Santino Deng Wol.

For the SPLM in Opposition, the sanctions were imposed on General Peter Gatdet, General James Koang Chuol and General Gatwech Dual.

A resolution to extend the mandate of the –UNISFA is also out for consideration on Tuesday.