The European Union is expected to extend its exemptions to its arms embargo on the Central African Republic in the near future, in line with UN Security Council Resolution 2648 (2022) of 29 July 2022.
According to a document dated 2 September from the Secretary General of the Commission to his counterpart in the EU Council, obtained by EUROPE, the EU could apply an exemption to the ban on the provision of technical assistance, financing, financial assistance or brokering services, if these services are intended exclusively for the support or use of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilisation Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA), EU missions and French forces deployed in the CAR, and forces of other UN Member States providing training and assistance as notified to the UN Sanctions Committee.
Exemptions could also include the provision of non-lethal equipment and assistance, “including operational and non-operational training”, to Central African security forces “intended solely for support of or use in the process of Security Sector Reform (SSR), in coordination with MINUSCA”.
Similarly, they could cover services related to the supply of weapons and ammunition, military vehicles and equipment to CAR security forces, where such weapons, ammunition, vehicles or equipment are intended solely to support or be used in the CAR SSR process.
Finally, the provision of non-lethal military equipment intended “solely” for humanitarian or protection purposes could be possible, as could services related to protective clothing, temporarily exported into the country by UN staff, media representatives and humanitarian and development workers and associated personnel, “for their personal use only”.
These exemptions will only apply if the supply is notified to the Sanctions Committee in advance. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)