THE United Nations Security Council has authorised the armed inspections of vessels suspected of carrying illegal shipments of charcoal to and from Somalia.
However, Russia and Jordan abstained from the vote over concerns about the move, according to Reuters.
The resolution, adopted by the 15-member council with 13 votes in favour, approves the use of "all necessary measures" - diplomatic code for military force - to carry out such inspections.
The council imposed an arms embargo on Somalia in 1992 to cut the flow of arms to feuding warlords, who ousted dictator Mohamed Said Barre and plunged the country into civil war.
The Security Council then banned charcoal exports from Somalia in February 2012 in a bid to cut off funds for al Shabaab, an al Qaeda-affiliated guerrillas, fighting to control of Somalia to establish sharia law jurisdiction.
Jordan's Deputy UN Ambassador Mahmoud Hmoud raised concerns that the council resolution does not contain "a sufficient guarantee to prevent any abuse of this authorisation and to prevent any obstruction of the maritime navigation."
"It might be used for political gains that go beyond the objectives of the resolution that is to fight illicit trade in charcoal and weapons," he told the council.
An international coalition of maritime forces has for several years been patrolling the waters around the Horn of Africa nation to counter piracy and other illegal activities augmented by armed guards aboard ships.
The Somalia-Eritrea Monitoring Group, which oversees compliance with UN sanctions on the two countries, said illegal charcoal exports in the past year were worth at least US$250 million with a third of shipments linked to al Shabaab.
"Charcoal is giving al Shabaab a lifeline," said Britain's UN Ambassador Mark Lyall Grant adding that "the United Kingdom is confident that the provisions set out in this resolution will ensure that it is not abused."
The Somalia-Eritrea Monitoring Group said it counted 161 vessels exporting charcoal from Somalia's southern ports of Kismayu and Barawe between June 2013 and May 2014. The cargoes were mainly destined for the United Arab Emirates, Oman and Kuwait and 60 per cent of the boats were Indian flagged or owned.
Russia's UN Ambassador Vitaly Churkin backed Jordan's concerns about the inspection of vessels and questioned the work of the Monitoring Group, claiming it had based some conclusions on "assumptions and rash accusations."
PIRACY
03 November 2014 - 21:04
UN endorses armed ship inspections near Somalia for illegal arms
THE United Nations Security Council has authorised the armed inspections of vessels suspected of carrying illegal shipments of charcoal to and from Somalia.
PIRACY
03 November 2014 - 21:04
UN endorses armed ship inspections near Somalia for illegal arms
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