UN extends sanctions on Al-Qaeda-linked militant group in Somalia

NEW YORK - Al-Shabaab's sanctions have been extended by the United Nations Security Council, with special focus on illegal arms imports and charcoal exports, as members raised concerns over vessels behind the transportation of the outlawed weapons.

The sanctions shall run until December 2025, the Council said, while renewing the mandate of the Panel of Experts assisting the Al-Shabaab sanctions regime until 13 January 2026. The resolution 2776 of 2025 was unanimous, the UN reports.

The 15-member Council decided that “all States shall, to prevent Al-Shabaab and other actors intent on undermining peace and security in Somalia and the region from obtaining weapons and ammunition, take the necessary measures to prevent all deliveries of weapons, ammunition, and military equipment to Somalia.”

The measures, the council adds, shall not affect the delivery or supplies to the federal government of Somalia, whose arms embargo was lifted a few months ago. Also not affected are deliveries and supplies to the National Intelligence and Security Agency along with the Somali National Police Force and the Somali Custodial Corps.

Several Council members spoke after the vote. The representative of Guyana, also speaking for Algeria, Sierra Leone, and Somalia, said they supported the Council’s decision “because we continue to ascribe importance to these elements in the fight against Al-Shabaab”. However, such a regime should be assessed to determine its fitness to support the Government’s efforts to combat the group.

In that regard, she welcomed the mandate given to the Secretary-General to assess the relevant arms embargo and report to the Council on this by 1 November 2025. She also welcomed the Council’s intention to review the propriety of the sanctions regime once that report is received. She added: “We urge the Council’s continued support and attention to the priorities identified by the [Government] during that review.”

“This resolution retains a powerful package of sanctions designed to further degrade Al-Shabaab, disrupt its finances, strengthen international collaboration, and support Somalia in building its capabilities,” observed the United Kingdom’s delegate.

The adopted resolution also recognizes the particular concern posed by the flow of weapons from Yemen to Somalia. Al-Shabaab’s links to the Houthis are part of a wider pattern of Houthi destabilizing activity beyond Yemen’s borders, she said, adding that the 2713 and 2140 sanctions committees “should coordinate closely to monitor and counter this trend”.

Other speakers also expressed concern for the flow of arms from Yemen to Somalia, with France saying the movement violates the relevant arms embargo. “It is vital to prevent Al-Shabaab from establishing and exploiting ties with groups under sanctions in the region — including the Houthis,” the French representative stressed.

The US expressed concerns over the growing ties between Al-Shabaab and Yemeni Houthis. The representative called for dialogue between the Horn of Africa and the Arabian Peninsula to arrest the matter before it got out of hand.

“We urge our fellow Council members to support additional designations, including those of Al-Shabaab operatives,” the representative from the US said.

However, the representative of the Russian Federation countered that “the Yemen issue needs to be considered separately”.

The draft contains elements that meet the aspirations of the Somalian side regarding the upcoming review of the sanctions regime, which has been in effect since 1992, she said, welcoming the restriction on access to weapons acquisition by non-State bodies.

She further stated: “The Council should pay greater attention to the positions expressed by African States, especially when parameters are being determined for the sanctions regime used against the terrorists which are active on their territories.”

“Al-Shabaab's ability to radicalize, recruit, raise funds via extortion and piracy, and procure weapons must be disrupted,” stressed Pakistan’s delegate. Continued humanitarian assistance and support for the economic development of Somalia is vital to addressing the root causes of terrorism. “Fighting the scourge of terrorism would require a united regional and global effort,” he emphasized.

GAROWE ONLINE