THE United Nations security council extended an arms embargo on South Sudan on Tuesday over protests from the world’s newest nation.

Russia, China and the council’s three African nations all abstained in the vote and voiced their sympathy for the sanctions to be lifted.

The 10-0 vote on the United States-drafted resolution was the same as the vote on the previous sanctions resolution adopted last May.

In a report to the security council earlier this month, UN experts monitoring the arms embargo, travel ban and asset freeze on targeted individuals said that South Sudan is facing violent clashes as it struggles to implement the most challenging provisions of a fragile 2018 power-sharing agreement.

The resolution adopted on Tuesday extends sanctions until May 31 2024 and lifts the requirement that South Sudan notify the security council committee monitoring sanctions about the supply, sale or transfer of non-lethal military equipment. 

It also reiterates the council’s readiness to modify or suspend the arms embargo in light of progress by South Sudan on fulfilling key benchmarks towards implementing the power-sharing agreement.

South Sudan’s UN ambassador Akuei Bona Malwal objected to the resolution, telling the council it was put forward “in bad faith with ill intentions” and called the sanctions “coercive” and unnecessary.

“It is counterproductive and has had an adverse humanitarian effect on the very citizens the proponents claim to support and protect from harm’s way more than the government,” he said. 

“The resolution is an example of brazen interference in domestic affairs.”

Among the countries that abstained, China’s deputy ambassador Geng Shuang said sanctions “have seriously hampered” the country’s implementation of the 2018 agreement and efforts to improve its security.

Ghana’s UN ambassador Harold Agyeman said: “What South Sudan needs from the international community at this time is not sanctions,” but carefully managed support for its development and transition.