Security Council resolution 1519 (2003) [on monitoring the arms embargo in Somalia ]
Symbol: S/RES/1519(2003)
Date: 2003-12-16
Status: adopted
Agenda: S/58 [84] SOMALIA SITUATION
Subjects: UN. Monitoring Group Established pursuant to Security Council Resolution 1519 (2003) and 1907 (2009)|UN. Monitoring Group Established pursuant to Security Council Resolution 1519 (2003) > Terms of reference|UN. Monitoring Group Established pursuant to Security Council Resolution 1519 (2003) > Financing|Intergovernmental Authority on Development|African Union|League of Arab States|Nairobi Declaration on the Problem of the Proliferation of Illicit Small Arms and Light Weapons in the Great Lakes Region and the Horn of Africa (2000)|Coordinated Agenda for Action on the Problem of the Proliferation of Small Arms and Light Weapons in the Great Lakes Region and the Horn of Africa (2000)|Charter of the United Nations (1945). Chapter VII|SANCTIONS|ARMS EMBARGO|SOMALIA|INTERNATIONAL OBLIGATIONS|SANCTIONS COMPLIANCE|SOMALIA SITUATION|GROUPS OF EXPERTS|ARMS TRANSFERS|ILLICIT ARMS TRAFFICKING|CUSTOMS ADMINISTRATION|BORDER TRAFFIC|CIVIL SERVANTS|REGIONAL ORGANIZATIONS|FOCAL POINTS|INFORMATION EXCHANGE|REPORT PREPARATION|NEIGHBOURING STATES|PERIODIC REPORTS|DONOR COUNTRIES|TECHNICAL COOPERATION|LAWS AND REGULATIONS
Votes in favour: 15
Votes against: 0
Abstentions: 0
Voting record:
country: ANGOLA
vote: yes
country: BULGARIA
vote: yes
country: CAMEROON
vote: yes
country: CHILE
vote: yes
country: CHINA
vote: yes
country: FRANCE
vote: yes
country: GERMANY
vote: yes
country: GUINEA
vote: yes
country: MEXICO
vote: yes
country: PAKISTAN
vote: yes
country: RUSSIAN FEDERATION
vote: yes
country: SPAIN
vote: yes
country: SYRIAN ARAB REPUBLIC
vote: yes
country: UNITED KINGDOM
vote: yes
country: UNITED STATES
vote: yes

               United Nations                                                                   S/RES/1519 (2003)
               Security Council                                                 Distr.: General
                                                                                16 December 2003




               Resolution 1519 (2003)
               Adopted by the Security Council at its 4885th meeting,
               on 16 December 2003

                    The Security Council,
                     Reaffirming its previous resolutions concerning the situation in Somalia, in
               particular resolution 733 (1992) of 23 January 1992, which established an embargo
               on all delivery of weapons and military equipment to Somalia (hereinafter referred
               to as the “arms embargo”), resolution 1356 (2001) of 19 June 2001, resolution 1407
               (2002) of 3 May 2002, resolution 1425 (2002) of 22 July 2002, resolution 1474
               (2003) of 8 April 2003, and the statements of its President of 12 March 2003
               (S/PRST/2003/2), and of 11 November 2003 (S/PRST/2003/19),
                     Reiterating its firm support for the Somali National Reconciliation Process and
               the ongoing Somali National Reconciliation Conference, commending the efforts of
               Kenya as the host of the Conference sponsored by the Intergovernmental Authority
               on Development (IGAD), and reaffirming the importance of the sovereignty,
               territorial integrity, political independence and unity of Somalia, consistent with the
               purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations,
                    Reiterating its insistence that all States, in particular those of the region,
               should not interfere in the internal affairs of Somalia. Such interference only further
               destabilizes Somalia, contributes to a climate of fear and impacts adversely on
               human rights, and could jeopardize the sovereignty, territorial integrity, political
               independence and unity of Somalia. Stressing that the territory of Somalia should
               not be used to undermine stability in the subregion,
                    Reiterating its serious concern over the continued flow of weapons and
               ammunition supplies to and through Somalia from sources outside the country, in
               contravention of the arms embargo, bearing in mind that the Somali National
               Reconciliation Process and the implementation of the arms embargo serve as
               mutually reinforcing processes,
                    Having considered the report of the Panel of Experts dated 4 November 2003
               (S/2003/l035) submitted pursuant to paragraph 7 of resolution 1474 (2003),
                    Welcoming the mission of the Committee established pursuant to resolution
               751 (1992) of 24 April 1992 (hereinafter referred to as “the Committee”), led by the
               Chairman of the Committee, to the States in the region from 11 to 21 November
               2003 as a step towards giving full effect to the arms embargo,

03-65882 (E)
*0365882*

S/RES/1519 (2003)


                    Reiterating the importance of improving the implementation and enhancing the
               monitoring of the arms embargo in Somalia through persistent and vigilant
               investigation into violations of the arms embargo, and expressing its determination
               of holding those violators accountable,
                    Determining that the situation in Somalia constitutes a threat to international
               peace and security in the region,
                    Acting under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations,
                     1.   Stresses the obligation of all States and other actors to comply fully with
               resolution 733 (1992) and resolution 1356 (2001), and reaffirms that noncompliance constitutes a violation of the provisions of the Charter of the United
               Nations;
                     2.   Requests the Secretary-General to establish a monitoring group
               (hereinafter referred to as the “Monitoring Group”) composed of up to four experts,
               for a period of 6 months commencing as soon as possible from the date of the
               adoption of the resolution, to be based in Nairobi, with the following mandate,
               which should focus on the ongoing arms embargo violations, including transfers of
               ammunition, single use weapons, and small arms:
                   (a) to investigate the violations of the arms embargo covering access to
               Somalia by land, air and sea;
                     (b) to detail information and make specific recommendations in relevant
               areas of expertise related to violations and measures to give effect to and strengthen
               the implementation of the arms embargo in its various aspects;
                     (c) to carry out field based investigations in Somalia, where possible, and in
               States neighbouring Somalia and other States, as appropriate;
                    (d) to assess the progress made by the States in the region to implement fully
               the arms embargo, including through a review of national customs and border
               control regimes;
                    (e) to provide the Committee in its final report with a draft list of those who
               continue to violate the arms embargo inside and outside Somalia, and their active
               supporters, for possible future measures by the Council;
                     (f) to make recommendations based on its investigations and the previous
               reports of the Panel of Experts (S/2003/223 and S/2003/1035) appointed pursuant to
               resolution 1425 (2002) and 1474 (2003);
                    3.  Further requests the Secretary-Genera1 to make the necessary financial
               arrangements to support the work of the Monitoring Group;
                    4.    Requests all Somali and regional parties as well as government officials
               and other actors contacted outside the region to cooperate fully with the Monitoring
               Group in the discharge of its mandate, and requests the Monitoring Group to notify
               the Security Council immediately, through the Committee, of any lack of
               cooperation;
                     5.     Calls upon all States in the region and regional organizations, in
               particular the IGAD, the African Union (AU), and the League of Arab States (LAS),
               to establish focal points to enhance cooperation with the Monitoring Group and to
               facilitate information exchange;


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                                                                                      S/RES/1519 (2003)


     6.    Requests the Monitoring Group to provide a mid-term briefing to the
Council, through the Committee, and to submit a final report at the end of its
mandated period to the Security Council, through the Committee, for its
consideration;
     7.   Encourages all States signatories to the Nairobi Declaration on the
Problem of the Proliferation of Illicit Small Arms and Light Weapons to implement
quickly the measures required by the Coordinated Agenda for Action as an
important means in support of the arms embargo on Somalia;
      8.    Calls on the neighbouring States to report to the Committee quarterly on
their efforts to implement the arms embargo, bearing in mind their crucial role in the
implementation of the arms embargo;
      9.   Encourages the donor community, including the IGAD Partner Forum
group, to provide technical and material assistance to States in the region, as well as
to the regional organizations, IGAD, AU and LAS, in support of their national and
regional capacity for monitoring and implementing the arms embargo, including for
monitoring the coastline, land and air boundaries with Somalia;
      10. Encourages Member States from the region to continue their efforts in
enacting legislation or regulations, necessary to ensure the effective implementation
of the arms embargo;
     11. Expresses its determination to review the situation regarding the
implementation of the arms embargo in Somalia on the basis of information
provided by the Monitoring Group in its reports;
     12.   Decides to remain actively seized of the matter.




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