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SOMALIA: ANOTHER UN RESOLUTION ON SOMALIA October 15, 2005

<|united_nations_somalia.jpg||left|>The United Nations Security Council used last week's report on Somalia to turn accompanying recommendations into resolution yesterday. All three recommendations were accepted unanimously: (a) Reaffirming and sustaining the arms embargo on Somalia, in accordance with Security Council resolution 733 (1992), paragraph 5; (b) Implementing a trade embargo on the export of charcoal originating in Somalia; (c) Implementing a ban on foreign vessels fishing in Somali waters and a trade embargo on the export of fish taken in Somali waters.

If the international community accepts this resolution, Somalia's fishery industry will die and thousands of families will face poverty. Somali people do not appreciate the fact that illegal arms are coming into the country and the drainage of national marine resources by illegal foreign fishing vessels. However, banning Somali fish from world markets adds more weight to Somalia's current economic problems. The UN Security Council adopted this resolution without consulting affected Somali fishing companies.

On the good side, Somali and other environmental organizations will use this resolution to combat charcoal exports to Middle East. Somalia's large scale deforestation is the result of burning trees for charcoal export.

Illegal fishing will continue unless it is enforced by warships and punitive measures like vessel confiscation are taken against ships and boats that are caught fishing in Somalia waters. Illegal weapons will pour into Somalia as it has been for so long until law and order are restored throughout the country.

The United Nations approach to Somalia has been very careful and mainly humanitarian since its fialed military mission in early 1990s.

United Nations 1630 Resolution:

Friday, 14 October 2005

Security Council - 5280th meeting

The situation in Somalia

Letter dated 5 October 2005 from the Chairman of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 751 (1992) concerning Somalia addressed to the

President of the Security Council (S/2005/625)

The agenda was adopted without objection.

The President drew attention to the text of a draft resolution contained in document

S/2005/625, prepared in the course of the Council’s prior consultations.

The Council proceeded to the vote on the draft resolution (S/2005/625) before it.

Decision: The draft resolution (S/2005/625) received 15 votes in favour, none against and no abstentions and was adopted unanimously as resolution 1630 (2005).

(a) Reaffirming and sustaining the arms embargo on Somalia, in accordance with Security Council resolution 733 (1992), paragraph 5;

(b) Implementing a trade embargo on the export of charcoal originating in Somalia;

(c) Implementing a ban on foreign vessels fishing in Somali waters and a trade embargo on the export of fish taken in Somali waters.

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