Liberia's diamond & timber trade get reprive, UN ban off

15 Apr '06

3 min read

Global Policy Forum's mission is to monitor policy making at the United Nations announces that the head of the UN Security Council sanctions committee has praised the government of Liberia for efforts to meet regulatory targets in the diamond and timber trades that could lead to the lifting of sanctions.

The United Nations slapped bans on Liberian diamond exports in 2001 and on timber two years later, saying the resources were being used to fuel war in the region. Nearly three years after the country emerged from its own 14-year civil war, the first post-conflict president Ellen Johnson Sirleaf is pushing to get the sanctions lifted.

"The Liberian government is working hard to meet the benchmarks set for the lifting of the sanctions [and] in June the Council will be meeting to review the sanctions," UN sanctions chief Ellen Loj told reporters on Saturday after making a special assessment visit to Liberia. But she added, "More work still needs to be done by the government of Liberia for the sanctions to be lifted."

The Liberian government has to demonstrate that it has full authority over the timber and diamond sectors and ensure proper accountability on revenues generated before the sanctions can be lifted, says the UN. The UN Security Council imposed sanctions on Liberian diamonds, dubbed "blood diamonds", in 2001 after investigations by the British government said former Liberian president Charles Taylor was trading the precious stones out of neighbouring Sierra Leone in exchange for arms for rebels.

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