The UN Security Council on Monday (5 December) expanded sanctions against Eritrea for their continuous support to Islamist militant groups in the Horn of Africa, including Al-Shabaab.

The resolution 2023, adopted by a vote  of 13 in favour to none against, with two abstentions (China, Russia), demands Eritrea to cease all direct or indirect effort to destabilize States.

It also requires countries to ensure that all States in business dealings with Eritrea’s mining sector shall “undertake appropriate measures to promote the exercise of vigilance” so that funds are not used to destabilize the region.

The Council also condemned Eritrea’s use of the “diaspora tax” on the Eritrean diaspora and demanded the country to stop such practices.

It also expressed intention to apply targeted sanctions against individuals and entities recruiting or using child soldiers in Somalia’s armed conflicts, and targeting civilians or committing attacks against schools and hospitals.

It further demanded that Eritrea make available information regarding the Djiboutian combatants missing in action since 10 to 12 June 2008.

The text, sponsored by Gabon and Nigeria, also explicitly condemed the Eritrea's violations of earlier resolutions.

Speaking as Chair of the Intergovernmental Authority for Development (IGAD) by videoconference from Addis Ababa, hours before the Council took action, Meles Zenawi, Prime Minister of Ethiopia, said the member States of IGAD had gathered to express the same opinion, namely that “Eritrea is a prime source of instability for the whole region”.

“We ask you to act, and to act decisively,” he stressed.

Sir Mark Lyall Grant, United Kingdom Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations  welcomed the reolution: “The UK continues to be deeply concerned at the situation in the Horn of Africa and the threat to regional and international peace and security.  Its people, now more than ever, need our support to achieve a more stable and prosperous region.”

Germany’s ambassador stressed that the text did not increase the burden on the Eritrean people.  It demanded further transparency from Eritrea, which must stop all activities that destabilized the region.

Explaining his delegation’s abstention, the representative of the Russian Federation said that although his Government understood the many concerns expressed by IGAD member States and was categorically opposed to terrorism, it believed the Council had not been presented with proof of the perpetrators of a reported attack on the African Union summit.  Moreover, the Russian Federation opposed the inclusion in the resolution of the issue of the diaspora, as well as of phrases that could have double meanings

Also speaking were the representatives of the United States, China, South Africa, Lebanon, Nigeria Gabon and France.

The resolution only comes five days ahead the International Human Rights day observed on 10 December.

Read the full text of the resolution and the press release here

Summary and background by the UN News Centre

Read the position of the UK here

Watch the speech of the Ambassador of the US here or read it here

Read the position of Germany here

Read the position of China here

Overview of the sitation by the Permanent Mission of France to the United Nations