Restrictive measures in view of the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Overview

On 7 April 1993 the EU decided to impose an arms embargo on Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of Congo, the DRC). On 28 July 2003, the UN Security Council adopted Resolution 1493 (2003) imposing an arms embargo against the DRC. On 18 April 2005, the UN Security Council adopted Resolution 1596 (2005) imposing also targeted restrictive measures. On 21 December 2005, the UN Security Council adopted Resolution 1649 (2005) extending restrictive measures to political and military leaders of foreign armed groups operating in the DRC who impede the disarmament and the voluntary repatriation or resettlement of combatants belonging to those groups, and to political and military leaders of Congolese militias receiving support from outside the DRC and in particular those operating in Ituri, who impede the participation of their combatants in disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration processes. On 31 July 2006, the UN Security Council adopted Resolution 1698 (2006) extending restrictive measures to political and military leaders recruiting or using children in armed conflict in violation of applicable international law and to individuals committing serious violations of international law involving the targeting of children in situations of armed conflict, including killing and maiming, sexual violence, abduction and forced displacement. On 17 October 2016, the EU expressed its deep concern at the political situation in the DRC. It strongly condemned the acts of extreme violence that took place on 19 and 20 September 2016 in Kinshasa, noting that those acts further exacerbated the deadlock in the country due to the failure to call the presidential elections by the constitutional deadline of 20 December 2016. The EU stressed that, in order to create a climate conducive to dialogue and the holding of elections, the Government of the DRC must clearly commit to ensuring that human rights and the rule of law are respected and must cease all use of the justice system as a political tool. It also called on all stakeholders to reject the use of violence. The EU adopted targeted measures against those responsible for serious human rights violations, those who promote violence and those who try to obstruct a consensual and peaceful solution to the crisis which respects the aspiration of the people of the DRC to elect their representatives. Derogations and exemptions to the restrictive measures are possible, including the delivery of humanitarian aid. Adopted by: UN and EU.

Targeted country

Legal bases

• Resolution 1596 (2005)
• Resolution 1649 (2005)
• Resolution 1493 (2003)
• Resolution 1771 (2007)
• Resolution 1807 (2008)
• Resolution 2078 (2012)
• Resolution 1698 (2006)
• Council Regulation concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
• Council Decision concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
• Resolution 2136 (2014)
• Resolution 2198 (2015)
• Resolution 2293 (2016)
• Resolution 2360 (2017)
• Resolution 2478 (2019)
• Resolution 2528 (2020)
• Resolution 2582 (2021)
• Resolution 1533 (2004)
• Resolution 2641 (2022)

Official resources