The United Nations Security Council on Friday renewed a set of sanctions measures by another six months for Cote d’Ivoire and, including an arms embargo and travel ban as the West African nation kicked off a electoral campaign.
In a unanimously adopted resolution that was drafted by France when, a permanent member of the Security Council, the set of measures on arms, financial assets and travel tile, were renewed until April 30, 2011.
The current set of sanctions, which also include diamonds as well as an assets freeze controversial, were set to expire Oct. 31, 2010.
The 15-nation Security Council said it would review the measures no later than three months after the long-delayed presidential elections minutes, scheduled for Oct. 31.
The resolution stressed that "these measures aim at supporting the peace process in Cote d’Ivoire," and determined that the region "continues to pose a threat to international peace and security."
Friday also marked the start of the electoral campaign in the West African country.
On Thursday, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s Special Representative Y.J. Choi in Cote d’Ivoire called on all sides to avoid any violent disruption.
Cote d’Ivoire, which became split by civil war in 2002 into a rebel-held north and government-controlled south, was making progress toward the holding of elections, which were supposed to have been held as far back as 2005 but have been repeatedly postponed.