Category Archives: Eritrea Sanctions

Eritrea Sanctions

September 26, 2014: DFAT, UN add one more to Somalia/Eritrea sanctions

On Friday, Australia followed the lead of the United Nations, adding the following person to its Consolidated List:

(15) Ahmed Diriye


AKA: Sheikh Ahmed Umar Abu Ubaidah

AKA: Sheikh Omar Abu Ubaidaha

AKA: Sheikh Ahmed Umar

AKA: Sheikh Mahad Omar Abdikarim

AKA: Abu Ubaidah

AKA: Abu Diriye


DOB: circa 1972


POB: Somalia


Location: Somalia

 

with the following explanatory narrative:

Ahmed Diriye was appointed as the new emir of Al-Shabaab following the death of the previous leader Ahmed Abdi aw-Mohamed, an individual listed by the Security Council Committee pursuant to resolutions 751 (1992) and 1907 (2009). This was publicly announced in a statement by Al-Shabaab’s spokesperson, Sheikh Ali Dheere, released on 6 September 2014. Diriye has been a senior member of Al-Shabaab and as the emir he exercises command responsibility for Al-Shabaab’s operations. He will be directly responsible for Al-Shabaab’s activities which continue to threaten the peace, security and stability of Somalia. Diriye has since adopted the Arabic name Sheikh Ahmed Umar Abu Ubaidah.

Link:

UN Notice

 

September 24, 2014: UN, DFAT add 1 to Somalia/Eritrea sanctions

On Wednesday, Australian regulators added the following person to its Consolidated List, under its Somalia/Eritrea sanctions program:

(14) Maalim Salman

AKA: Mu’alim Salman

AKA: Mualem Suleiman

AKA: Ameer Salman

AKA: Ma’alim Suleiman

AKA: Maalim Salman Ali

AKA: Maalim Selman Ali

AKA: Ma’alim Selman

AKA: Ma’alin Sulayman

DOB: circa 1979

POB: Nairobi, Kenya

Location: Somalia

 

along with the following narrative:

Maalim Salman was chosen by al-Shabaab leader Ahmed Abdi aw-Mohamed aka

Godane to be the head of African foreign fighters for al-Shabaab. He has trained

foreign nationals who were seeking to join al-Shabaab as African foreign fighters,

and has been involved in operations in Africa targeting tourists, entertainment

establishments, and churches.

Although focused mainly on operations outside of Somalia, Salman is known to reside

in Somalia and train foreign fighters in Somalia before dispatching them elsewhere.

Some of al-Shabaab’s foreign fighters also have a presence in Somalia. For example,

Salman ordered al-Shabaab foreign fighters to southern Somalia in response to an

African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) offensive.

Among other terrorist attacks, al-Shabaab was responsible for the attack on the

Westgate shopping mall in Nairobi, Kenya in September 2013, which resulted in the

deaths of at least 67 people. More recently, al-Shabaab claimed the August 31, 2014

attack on the National Intelligence and Security Agency prison in Mogadishu, killing

three security guards and two civilians, and injuring 15 others.

 

Link:

UN Notice

 

Sweden Explains It All: Eritrea

This is the history of the EU's Eritrea sanctions program:

In light of the fact that Eritrea is considered to have actively fuelled the conflict in Somalia through support to Al-Shabab, and in addition had not complied with Security Council calls to resolve the border dispute with its neighbour Djibouti, the UN Security Council adopted Resolution 1907 (2009) on restrictive measures against Eritrea in December 2009. The resolution imposes an arms embargo and stipulates that travel restrictions and the freezing of funds of individuals and entities in, and associated with, the Eritrean political military leadership and others can be imposed. The individuals and entities concerned are then to be listed by the UN Security Council Sanctions Committee for Somalia and Eritrea. However, to date no individuals or entities have been listed by the Committee. In July 2012, the Security Council adopted Resolution 2060 (2012) which allows certain exemptions from the arms embargo.

Furthermore, the UN Security Council adopted Resolution 2023 (2011) in December 2011. Under the resolution, Eritrea is to cease using extortion, threats of violence, fraud and other illicit means to collect taxes outside of Eritrea from Eritrean nationals and others. Other states are encouraged to take appropriate measures, consistent with international law, to hold accountable those individuals who act in violation of the resolution. Other states are also to take appropriate measures to encourage vigilance when conducting trade with Eritrea's mining sector with the aim of preventing proceeds derived from this sector being used in activities to destabilise the region. The Security Council Sanctions Committee will draft guidelines on how this is to be done.

and this is what the sanctions entail:

1. Arms embargo

It is prohibited to sell or supply weapons and related materiel to Eritrea. Corresponding prohibitions apply to technical and financial assistance linked to such products. The arms embargo does not apply to protective clothing that is temporarily exported to Eritrea by UN personnel, representatives of the media, and humanitarian personnel and aid workers solely for their personal use. Nor does the arms embargo apply to non-lethal military equipment intended solely for humanitarian use or for providing protection following prior approval from the UN Security Council Sanctions Committee for Somalia and Eritrea.

Inspection regime

All Member States are called upon to inspect, in their territory – including seaports and airports – all cargoes to and from Eritrea if the state concerned has information that provides reasonable grounds to believe that the cargo contains items whose supply, transfer or export is prohibited. For this reason, special cargo declarations must be submitted for such transport.

2. Travel restrictions

A prohibition to enter or transit through the EU applies to individuals and entities listed by the UN Security Council Sanctions Committee for Somalia and Eritrea and that violate the arms embargo, provide support from Eritrea to armed opposition groups that aim to destabilise the region, etc. To date, no individuals or entities have been listed by the Committee or, consequently, by the EU.

3. Freezing of funds

All funds and economic resources that are owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by individuals or entities listed by the UN Security Council Sanctions Committee for Somalia and Eritrea and that violate the arms embargo, provide support from Eritrea to armed opposition groups, etc., are to be frozen. Nor may funds or economic resources, directly or indirectly, be made available to, or used for the benefit of, such individuals or entities. To date, no individuals or entities have been listed by the Committee or, consequently, by the EU.

and the relevant EU documents:

The sanctions are regulated by Council Decision 2010/127/CFSP, which contains provisions on the arms embargo, travel restrictions and freezing of funds. Council Decision 2010/414/CFSP introduced certain amendments and supplements to the above Council decision regarding the procedure for amending and reviewing the list of individuals and entities covered by travel restrictions and freezing of funds. Council Decision 2012/632/CFSP introduced certain exemptions from the arms embargo. The Community law aspects of the Council decisions are regulated by Council Regulations (EU) No 667/2010 and No 942/2012.

Link:

Sweden Eritrea sanctions page