UN renews Somalia-Eritrea arms embargo

The U.N. Security Council has renewed an arms embargo on Somalia and Eritrea citing a continuing threat from al-Qaida-linked al-Shabab militants.

The 15-member council on Thursday approved the renewal of sanctions with 10 nations voting in favor and five abstaining.

“The sanctions are preventing al-Shabab from having the incoming weapons that they otherwise would,” Matthew Rycroft, the U.N. ambassador from the United Kingdom, which drafted the resolution, said before the vote.

China, a veto-holding council member, abstained.

China’s deputy U.N. ambassador said the sanctions were not conducive to strengthening cooperation between the countries in the region and said it hoped the council will take into account the changes on the ground and adjust the embargo accordingly.