Central African Republic

The Central African Republic (CAR) has been under UN arms embargo since December 2013 (Resolution 2127 (2013)). Sanctions were extended in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018. 

Prohibitions 

The current sanctions regime, as detailed in Resolutions 2339 (2017) and 2399 (2018), requires that “all Member States shall continue to take the necessary measures to prevent the direct or indirect supply, sale or transfer to the CAR, from or through their territories or by their nationals, or using their flag vessels or aircraft, of arms and related materiel of all types, including weapons and ammunition, military vehicles and equipment, paramilitary equipment, and spare parts for the aforementioned, and technical assistance, training, financial or other assistance, related to military activities or the provision, maintenance or use of any arms and related materiel, including the provision of armed mercenary personnel whether or not originating in their territories” (Resolution 2239 (2017), para. 1).   

Exceptions 

This sanctions regime includes several exceptions (Resolution 2239 (2017), para. 1, a-h) : 

Requires no prior approval from or notification to the UN Sanctions Committee, established pursuant Resolution 2127 (2013) concerning Central African Republic (hereafter referred to as “UN Sanctions Committee”): 

• The “supplies intended solely for the support of or use by MINUSCA, the African Union-Regional Task Force (AU-RTF), and the European Union Missions and French Forces deployed in the CAR” (Resolution 2339 (2017), para. 1, a) ; 

• The supplies of “protective clothing, including flak jackets and military helmets, temporarily exported to the CAR by United Nations personnel, representatives of the media and humanitarian and development workers and associated personnel, for their personal use only” (Resolution 2399 (2018), para. 1, e). 

Requiring prior notification to the UN Sanctions Committee 

• The “supplies intended solely for the support of or use by MINUSCA and the European Union training missions deployed in the CAR, French forces under the conditions provided by paragraph 65 of resolution 2387 (2017), as well as other Members States forces providing training and assistance” (Resolution 2399 (2018), para. 1, a) 

• The ‘supplies of weapons with a calibre of 14.5 mm or less, and ammunition and components specially designed for such weapons, and of unarmed ground military vehicles and ground military vehicles mounted with weapons with a calibre of 14.5 mm or less and their spare parts, and of RPG and ammunition specially designed for such weapons, and provision of related assistance, to the CAR security forces, including state civilian law enforcement institutions’ (Resolution 2536 (2020), para. 1 g) ;  

• The “supplies of non-lethal equipment and provision of assistance, including operational and non-operational training to the CAR security forces, including State civilian law enforcement institutions, intended solely for support of or use in the CAR process of Security Sector Reform (SSR), in coordination with MINUSCA, (…)” (Resolution 2399 (2018), para. 1, b). 

• The “supplies of small arms and other related equipment intended solely for use in international-led patrols providing security in the Sangha River Tri-national Protected Area to defend against poaching, smuggling of ivory and arms, and other activities contrary to the national laws of the CAR or the CAR’s international legal obligations” (Resolution 2399 (2018), para. 1, f). 

Requiring prior approval from the UN Sanctions Committee: 

• The “supplies brought (…) by Chadian or Sudanese forces solely for their use in international patrols of the tripartite force established (…) by the CAR, Chad and Sudan, (…) in cooperation with MINUSCA” (Resolution 2339 (2017), para. 1, c).  

• The “supplies of non-lethal military equipment intended solely for humanitarian or protective use, and related technical assistance or training” (Resolution 2339 (2017), para. 1, d). 

• The “supplies of arms and other related lethal equipment to the CAR security forces, including State civilian law enforcement institutions, intended solely for support of or use in the CAR process of SSR” (Resolution 2339 (2017), para. 1, g). 

• The “other sales or supply of arms and related materiel, or provision of assistance or personnel” (Resolution 2339 (2017), para. 1, h). This last exception applies to any other activities not covered by the previous exceptions, as the export of arms to private security companies or to arms manufacturing companies operating in the CAR. 

Others 

Member-States are allowed to seize, register and dispose of any items the supply, sale, transfer or export of which is prohibited by the current sanctions regime, and shall cooperate in such efforts (Resolution 2339 (2018), para. 2). 

 The sanctions regime has been extended until 31 July 2023 according to RES2648 (2022) 

The Central African Republic is also under EU arms embargo.