United Nations, United States — The investigative work of several panels of experts tasked with monitoring compliance with UN arms embargoes and economic sanctions in conflict zones including Mali is being blocked, sometimes for months, by Russia, diplomats said Wednesday. All of the committees blocked are in the process of renewing their members. The assignment of experts to the committee dealing with the Central African Republic has been stalled since August 31. The committee tasked with monitoring the Central African Republic this year condemned “grave human rights abuses” attributed to paramilitaries from the controversial Wagner group, a Russian private security firm. Diplomats said Russia has blocked certain experts from taking up posts on the committees, which are made up of less than 10 experts who provide regular reports on sanctions violations that sometimes read more like spy novels.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer September 30, 2021 00:00 UTC