Security Council resolution 2588 (2021) [on renewal of measures on arms, transport, finance and travel against the Central African Republic until 31 July 2022 and extension of the mandate of the Panel of Experts Established pursuant to Resolution 2127 (2013) until 31 Aug. 2022]
Symbol: S/RES/2588 (2021)
Date: 2021-07-29
Status: adopted
Agenda: S/76 [181] CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC SITUATION
S/76 [227] UN MULTIDIMENSIONAL INTEGRATED STABILIZATION MISSION IN THE CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC
S/ X The situation in the Central African Republic.
Subjects: UN. Security Council Committee Established pursuant to Resolution 2127 (2013) concerning the Central African Republic|UN. Panel of Experts Established pursuant to Security Council Resolution 2127 (2013)|UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic|Charter of the United Nations (1945). Chapter VII|SANCTIONS|PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS|CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC|ARMS EMBARGO|TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS|FROZEN ASSETS
Votes in favour: 14
Votes against: 0
Abstentions: 1
Voting record:
country: CHINA
vote: abstention
country: ESTONIA
vote: yes
country: FRANCE
vote: yes
country: INDIA
vote: yes
country: IRELAND
vote: yes
country: KENYA
vote: yes
country: MEXICO
vote: yes
country: NIGER
vote: yes
country: NORWAY
vote: yes
country: RUSSIAN FEDERATION
vote: yes
country: SAINT VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES
vote: yes
country: TUNISIA
vote: yes
country: UNITED KINGDOM
vote: yes
country: UNITED STATES
vote: yes
country: VIET NAM
vote: yes

               United Nations                                                                      S/RES/2588 (2021)
               Security Council                                                  Distr.: General
                                                                                 29 July 2021




               Resolution 2588 (2021)
               Adopted by the Security Council at its 8828th meeting, on
               29 July 2021

                    The Security Council,
                    Recalling all of its previous resolutions, statements of its President, and press
               statements on the situation in the Central African Republic (CAR),
                    Welcoming the efforts made by the CAR authorities, in coordination with their
               regional and international partners, to advance the reform of the security sector (SSR),
               including the ongoing deployment of CAR defence and security forces, encouraging
               them to implement their National Defence Plan, Force Employment Concept, and
               National Security Policy, and acknowledging the urgent need for the CAR authorities
               to train and equip their defence and security forces to be able to respond
               proportionately to threats to the security of all citizens in the CAR and to protect and
               promote human rights and prevent violations and abuses,
                     Expressing concern that some signatories to the Peace Agreement continue to
               disregard their commitments, urging all signatories to implement the Peace
               Agreement in good faith and without delay, also urging all stakeholders in the CAR
               to engage in dialogue to make further progress toward peace, security, justice,
               reconciliation, inclusivity and development, and underscoring the need for
               international partners to support the implementation of the Peace Agreement and
               continue coordinating their actions with the CAR Government to bring lasting peace
               and stability to the CAR,
                     Taking note of the request of the CAR authorities to lift the arms embargo
               expressed in their letters of 5 January 2021 and 12 January 2021, also taking note of
               the support for this request expressed by the heads of state of Angola and Congo on
               behalf of the International Conference on the Great Lake Region (ICGLR) and the
               Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) during its public meeting
               of 23 June 2021,
                     Recalling that the Security Council Committee established pursuant to
               resolution 2127 (2013) concerning the CAR (“the Committee”) has approved all
               exemption requests submitted by the CAR authorities under the framework of the
               arms embargo,
                     Reiterating its readiness to review the arms embargo measures, through inter
               alia suspension or progressive lifting of these measures, in the light of progress
               achieved on the key benchmarks for the review of the arms embargo measures,




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               established in the statement of its President of 9 April 2019 (S/PRST/2019/3) (“the
               key benchmarks”), and stressing the need for the CAR authorities to ensure physical
               protection, control, management, traceability, and accountability of weapons,
               ammunition and military equipment transferred to their control,
                     Welcoming the commitment demonstrated and the progress made by the CAR
               authorities, along with their regional and international partners, to achiev e some of
               the key benchmarks, noting in particular progress in the operationalization of the
               Commission nationale de lutte contre la prolifération des armes légères et de petit
               calibre, welcoming the adoption of the Law on the General Regime for Conventional
               Weapons and Their Component Parts and Ammunition in the Central African
               Republic and the establishment by the President of the Republic of a Committee for
               the Coordination of Mechanisms for the Control and Management of arms and
               ammunition in the Central African Republic,
                    Encouraging the CAR authorities to continue with their efforts aimed at
               reforming their security forces, implementing the Disarmament, Demobilisation,
               Reintegration and Repatriation (DDRR) programme in line with the Peace Agreement
               and operating an effective weapons and ammunition management system, calling on
               the CAR authorities and MINUSCA to effectively coordinate and also calling on the
               CAR authorities to take all appropriate measures to enhance the safety and security
               of United Nations personnel and equipment,
                     Stressing the importance of the CAR authorities achieving the key benchmarks
               in order to contribute to the advancement of the SSR process, the DDRR process and
               necessary weapons and ammunition management reforms, encouraging the CAR
               authorities to continue their progress in this regard, calling on regional and
               international partners to provide coordinated support to the CAR authorities in these
               efforts, noting in that regard the roles of MINUSCA in line with its mandate, the
               European Union Training Mission in the CAR (EUTM) and the African Union
               Observer Mission in the CAR (MOUACA), as well as joint bilateral commissions,
               and calling attention to the need for the CAR authorities to facilitate access by the
               Panel of Experts and MINUSCA to the arms and related material exported to CAR in
               compliance with the arms embargo, to develop an arms registration and management
               protocol, and to launch the process for marking and tracing weapons,
                    Welcoming efforts by the Panel of Experts to investigate violations of the arms
               embargo, and noting its intention to hold those who violate the arms embargo
               accountable,
                     Recalling that deliveries of weapons, ammunition and military equipment and
               the provision of technical assistance or training, to the CAR security forces and
               intended solely for support of or use in the CAR process of SSR, by Member States
               or international, regional and subregional organisations should only be used for the
               purposes specified in the relevant notifications and exemption requests and
               underlining their contribution to the development of CAR security sector institutions,
               to the response to the specific needs of the CAR defence and security forces, and to
               the support to the progressive extension of State authority,
                    Stressing that the measures imposed by this resolution are not intended to have
               adverse humanitarian consequences for the civilian population of the CAR,
                     Recalling the need for States to ensure that all measures taken by them to
               implement this resolution comply with their obligations under international law,
               including international humanitarian law, international human rights law and
               international refugee law, as applicable,
                   Welcoming the report of the Secretary-General of 16 June 2021 (S/2021/571)
               submitted pursuant to resolution 2552 (2020),

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                 Taking note of the Secretary-General’s letter dated 15 June 2021 addressed to
           the President of the Security Council (S/2021/573) consistent with paragraph 13 of
           resolution 2536 (2020) and of the CAR authorities’ reports addressed on 11 January
           2021 and 16 July 2021 to the Committee consistent with paragraph 12 of resolution
           2536 (2020),
                Further taking note of the final report (S/2021/569) of the Panel of Experts on
           the CAR established pursuant to resolution 2127 (2013), expanded by resolution 2134
           (2014) and extended pursuant to resolution 2536 (2020) (“the Panel of Experts”), and
           taking note also of the Panel of Experts’ recommendations,
                 Determining that the situation in the CAR continues to constitute a threat to
           international peace and security in the region,
                Acting under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations,
                 1.    Decides that, until 31 July 2022, all Member States shall continue to take
           the necessary measures to prevent the direct or indirect supply, sale or transfer to the
           CAR, from or through their territories or by their nationals, or using their flag vesse ls
           or aircraft, of arms and related materiel of all types, including weapons and
           ammunition, military vehicles and equipment, paramilitary equipment, and spare
           parts for the aforementioned, and technical assistance, training, financial or other
           assistance, related to military activities or the provision, maintenance or use of any
           arms and related materiel, including the provision of armed mercenary personnel
           whether or not originating in their territories, and further decides that these measures
           shall not apply to:
                 (a) Supplies intended solely for the support of or use by MINUSCA and the
           European Union training missions deployed in the CAR, French forces under the
           conditions provided by paragraph 52 of resolution 2552 (2020), and other Member
           States’ forces providing training and assistance as notified in advance in accordance
           with paragraph 1 (b) below;
                 (b) Supplies of non-lethal equipment and provision of assistance, including
           operational and non-operational training to the CAR security forces, including state
           civilian law enforcement institutions, intended solely for support of or use in the CAR
           process of security sector reform (SSR), in coordination with MINUSCA, and as
           notified in advance to the Committee, and requests that MINUSCA report on the
           contribution to SSR of this exemption, as part of its regular reports to the Council;
                 (c) Supplies brought into the CAR by Chadian or Sudanese forces solely for
           their use in international patrols of the tripartite force established on 23 May 2011 in
           Khartoum by the CAR, Chad and Sudan, to enhance security in the common border
           areas, in cooperation with MINUSCA, as approved in advance by the Committee;
                (d) Supplies of non-lethal military equipment intended solely for
           humanitarian or protective use, and related technical assistance or training, as notified
           in advance to the Committee;
                (e) Protective clothing, including flak jackets and military helmets,
           temporarily exported to the CAR by United Nations personnel, representatives of the
           media and humanitarian and development workers and associated personnel, for their
           personal use only;
                 (f) Supplies of small arms and other related equipment intended solely for use
           in international-led patrols providing security in the Sangha River Tri-national
           Protected Area and by armed wildlife rangers of the Chinko Project and the Bamingui -
           Bangoran National Park to defend against poaching, smuggling of ivory and arms,
           and other activities contrary to the national laws of the CAR or the CAR’s
           international legal obligations, as notified in advance to the Committee;

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                     (g) Supplies of weapons with a calibre of 14.5 mm or less, and ammunition
               and components specially designed for such weapons, and of unarmed ground
               military vehicles and ground military vehicles mounted with weapons with a calibre
               of 14.5 mm or less and their spare parts, and of RPG and ammunition specially
               designed for such weapons, and of mortars with a calibre of 60 mm and 82 mm
               ammunition specially designed for such weapons, and provision of related assistance,
               to the CAR security forces, including state civilian law enforcement institutions, and
               intended solely for support of or use in the CAR process of SSR, as notified in
               advance to the Committee;
                     (h) Supplies of arms and other related lethal equipment that are not listed in
               paragraph 1 (g) of this resolution, and provision of related assistance, to the CAR
               security forces, including state civilian law enforcement institutions, and intended
               solely for support of or use in the CAR process of SSR, as approved in advance by
               the Committee; or
                     (i) Other sales or supply of arms and other related materiel, or provision of
               assistance or personnel, as approved in advance by the Committee;
                     2.    Decides that the supplying Member State is primarily responsible for
               notifying the Committee and that such notification must be at least 20 days in advance
               of the delivery of any supplies as permitted in paragraph 1 (d), paragraph 1 (f) and
               paragraph 1 (g) of this resolution and affirms that the supplying international, regional
               or subregional organisation is primarily responsible for notifying the Committee and
               that such notification must be at least 20 days in advance of the delivery of any
               supplies as permitted in paragraph 1 (d), paragraph 1 (f) and paragraph 1 (g) of this
               resolution;
                     3.   Decides to renew until 31 July 2022 the measures and provisions as set out
               in paragraphs 4 and 5 of resolution 2488 (2019) and in paragraph 2 of resolution 2399
               (2018) and recalls paragraphs 8 and 9 of resolution 2488 (2019);
                     4.   Decides to renew until 31 July 2022 the measures and provisions as set out
               in paragraphs 9, 14, and 16 to 19 of resolution 2399 (2018) and extended by
               paragraph 4 of resolution 2536 (2020) and recalls paragraphs 10 to 13 and 15 of
               resolution 2399 (2018);
                     5.   Reaffirms that the measures described in paragraphs 9 and 16 of resolution
               2399 (2018) shall apply to individuals and entities as designated by the Committee,
               as set forth in paragraphs 20 to 22 of resolution 2399 (2018) and extended by
               paragraph 5 of resolution 2536 (2020), including for involvement in planning,
               directing, sponsoring or committing acts in the CAR that violate international
               humanitarian law, which include attacks against medical personnel or humanitarian
               personnel;
                     6.   Decides to extend until 31 August 2022 the mandate of the Panel of
               Experts, as set out in paragraphs 30 to 39 of resolution 2399 (2018) and extended by
               paragraph 6 of resolution 2536 (2020), expresses its intention to review the mandate
               and take appropriate action regarding its further extension no later than 31 July 2022,
               and requests the Secretary-General to take the necessary administrative measures as
               expeditiously as possible to re-establish the Panel of Experts, in consultation with the
               Committee, drawing, as appropriate, on the expertise of the current members of the
               Panel of Experts;
                     7.    Requests the Panel of Experts to provide to the Council, after discussion
               with the Committee, a midterm report no later than 31 January 2022, a final report no
               later than 30 June 2022, and progress updates, as appropriate;



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                 8.    Expresses particular concern about reports of illicit transnational
           trafficking networks which continue to fund and supply armed groups in the CAR,
           and requests the Panel, in the course of carrying out its mandate, to devote special
           attention to the analysis of such networks, in cooperation with other Panels or Groups
           of Experts established by the Security Council as appropriate;
                 9.    Urges all parties, and all Member States, as well as international, regional
           and subregional organisations to ensure cooperation with the Panel of Experts and t he
           safety of its members;
                 10. Further urges all Member States and all relevant United Nations bodies to
           ensure unhindered access, in particular to persons, documents and sites in order for
           the Panel of Experts to execute its mandate and recalls the value of informationsharing between MINUSCA and the Panel of Experts;
                11. Reaffirms the Committee provisions and the reporting and review
           provisions as set out in resolution 2399 (2018) and extended by resolution 2536
           (2020);
                 12. Requests the CAR authorities to report, by 15 June 2022, to the Committee
           on the progress achieved regarding the SSR, the disarmament, demobilisation,
           reintegration and repatriation (DDRR) process and the management of weapons and
           ammunition;
                13. Requests the Secretary-General, in close consultation with MINUSCA,
           including UNMAS, and the Panel of Experts, to conduct, no later than 15 June 2022,
           an assessment on the progress achieved by the CAR authorities on the key
           benchmarks;
                 14. Affirms that it shall keep the situation in the CAR under continuous review
           and be prepared to review the appropriateness of the measures contained in this
           resolution, at any time as may be necessary, in light of the evolution of the security
           situation in the country, of the progress achieved in relation to the SSR process, the
           DDRR process and the management of weapons and ammunition, in particular the
           management and tracking of notified and exempted arms and other related equipment,
           including in relation to the report and assessment requested in paragraphs 12 and 13
           of this resolution, and of compliance with this resolution;
                15.   Decides to remain actively seized of the matter.




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