Liberia Diamond Sanctions Expected to be Renewed

The United Nations Security Council is today expected to adopt a resolution renewing Liberia's diamond sanctions for a further six months, with a review scheduled in four months. The country's timber sanctions are expected to be suspended for 90 days. 

The renewal of the sanctions comes after a partial lifting of the arms embargo on June 13. Regarding the timber and diamonds sanctions, some Council members were concerned that key benchmarks have not yet been met. The Council also expressed concern that premature lifting may undermine the credibility of their sanctions regimes, and that a degree of pressure should be kept so that the benchmarks could be fully met.

The diamond sanctions will be lifted when the Sanctions Committee, with expert advice considers the Government of Liberia has established a “transparent, effective and internationally verifiable” Certificate of Origin regime. The existing certification scheme is the Kimberley Process.

Liberia’s new president, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, addressed the Council in an open debate 17 March expressing her commitment to fulfill the conditions for the lifting of timber and diamond sanctions.