Arms Embargo: Ouagadougou Political Agreement (OPA)
Implementations
Arms Embargo – 2007
In the Ouagadougou Political Agreement, parties to the accord agreed to request the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to lift the arms embargo imposed on Ivory Coast within three months of holding post-conflict elections. Parties also requested that the UNSC immediately allow light weapons, necessary for maintaining law and order, to be imported.
On 29 October 2007, the UNSC passed Resolution 1782 and decided to extend the arms embargo by 12 months; the embargo had been in place since 2004.[fn=value1] “Resolution 1782 (2007),” United Nations Security Council (S/RES/1782 2007), October 29, 2007.[/efn_note] The UNSC did not authorize light weapons to be imported.
Arms Embargo – 2008
Through Resolution 1842, the UNSC extended the arms embargo imposed on Ivory Coast until 31 October 2009. Nevertheless, the resolution called for a review of the embargo should Ivory Coast make progress in its peace process, especially in the holding of elections.1
Arms Embargo – 2009
The UNSC, through Resolution 1893, extended the arms embargo imposed on Ivory Coast until 31 October 2010. Nevertheless, the resolution called for a review of the embargo should Ivory Coast make progress in its peace process, especially in the holding of elections.1
Arms Embargo – 2010
The UNSC, through Resolution 1946, extended the arms embargo imposed on Ivory Coast until 30 April 201. Nevertheless, the resolution called for a review of the embargo should Ivory Coast make progress in its peace process, especially in the holding of elections.1
Arms Embargo – 2011
The UNSC, through Resolution 1980, extended the arms embargo imposed on Ivory Coast until 30 April 2012. Nevertheless, the resolution called for a review of the embargo should Ivory Coast make progress in its peace process.1 One of the pre-conditions for the review of the embargo was the holding of elections. Elections took place in late 2010, but because armed violence ensued following elections, the UNSC made its decision based on the lack of political and security stabilization in Ivory Coast.
Arms Embargo – 2012
The UNSC, through Resolution 2045, replaced the arms embargo imposed on Ivory Coast in 2004 and allowed non-lethal law enforcement equipment to be imported for the purpose of maintaining public order, as well as supplies of arms and related lethal weapons to the Ivorian armed forces for use in the Security Sector Reform process.1 As such, the arms embargo in place was finally lifted in April of 2012.
Arms Embargo – 2013
In April 2013, Security Council Resolution 2101 extended the embargo for one year, although supplies of arms and related lethal weapons to the Ivorian armed forces for use in the Security Sector Reform process was allowed, per Resolution 2045 (2012).1
- SIPRI, “UN Arms Embargo on Cote D’Ivoire,” accessed May 7, 2015, http://www.sipri.org/databases/embargoes/un_arms_embargoes/cote.
Arms Embargo – 2014
In April 2014, Security Council Resolution 2153 extended the embargo for one year. “It lifted the requirement to notify the sanction committee in advance about the supply of non-lethal equipment to the Ivorian security forces. It retained the required advance approval by the sanction committee for the supply of most types of weapons as clarified in a new list annexed to the resolution.” Supplies of arms and related lethal weapons to the Ivorian armed forces for use in the Security Sector Reform process was allowed, per Resolution 2045 (2012).1
- SIPRI, “UN Arms Embargo on Cote D’Ivoire,” accessed May 7, 2015, http://www.sipri.org/databases/embargoes/un_arms_embargoes/cote.
Arms Embargo – 2015
UN Resolution 2219 (2015) renewed the sanctions, including the partial embargo on arms, although supplies of arms and related lethal weapons to the Ivorian armed forces for use in the Security Sector Reform process was allowed, per Resolution 2045 (2012).1