Security Council extends mechanism monitoring UNITA sanctions

The Security Council on Thursday extended the mandate of a team investigating violations of UN sanctions against Angolan rebel movement UNITA. The council unanimously adopted a resolution to extend the Monitoring Mechanism on Angola Sanctions until mid-October and called on all states to co-operate with the five-member team. The council originally imposed sanctions against UNITA in 1993 for its failure to carry out obligations under peace accords signed with the Angolan government. Since then, the council has tightened the sanctions by a series of subsequent resolutions. On Wednesday the monitoring team released a report stressing that sanctions continued to play an important part in efforts to resolve the Angolan conflict. With no fixed arms supply lines and diminishing revenue from diamonds, UNITA’s military capacity had been significantly reduced, according to the report.