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Arms Embargoes Database

Arms embargoes are one type of sanctions that can be used to coerce states and non-governmental actors to improve their behaviour in the interests of international peace and security.

This database gives information on all multilateral arms embargoes that have been implemented by an international organisation, such as the EU or UN, or by a group of nations. It provides details of the aims, scope and amendments to all arms embargoes that are in force, or have been in force since 1998. The database is constantly updated to include information on new arms embargoes or significant modifications to existing arms embargoes. Annual summaries of arms embargo related events can be found at:  2011 - 2010 - 2009 2008 -  2007 - 2006 - 2005 - 2004 -2003 - 2002. 

More information on multilateral arms embargoes are available here.

Contact Pieter Wezeman for comments or questions concerning our SIPRI Arms Embargoes Database.

UN arms embargoes

Target                        
Entry into force          
Lifted                     
Establishing Document
       
Mandatory UN embargoes      
Afghanistan (Taliban) 19 Dec. 2000 (16 Jan. 2002) UNSCR 1333
Al-Qaeda and associated individuals and entities 16 Jan. 2002 - UNSCR 1390
Taliban
16 Jan. 2002 - UNSCR 1390
Angola (UNITA) 15 Sep. 1993 9 Dec. 2002 UNSCR 864
Cote d'Ivoire 15 Nov. 2004 - UNSCR 1572
DRC (NGF) 28 July 2003 - UNSCR 1493
Eritrea 17 May 2000 15 May 2001 UNSCR 1298
Eritrea
Ethiopia
23 Dec. 2009
17 May 2000

15 May 2001
UNSCR 1907
UNSCR 1298
Iraq (NGF since 2004)
6 Aug. 1990
UNSCR 661
Iran
23 Dec. 2006 - UNSCR 1737
Lebanon (NGF) 11 Aug. 2006 - UNSCR 1701
Liberia (NGF since 2009)
19 Nov. 1992 - UNSCR 788
Libya 31 Mar. 1992 12 Sep. 2003(suspended 5 Apr.1999) UNSCR 748
Libya 26 Feb. 2011 - UNSCR 1970
North Korea (DPRK) 14 Oct. 2006 - UNSCR 1718
Rwanda (NGF) 16 Aug. 1995 10 Jul. 2008 UNSCR 1011
Sierra Leone (NGF) 5 June 1998 29 Sep. 2010
UNSCR 1171
Somalia 23 Jan. 1992 - UNSCR 733
Sudan (Darfur region) 30 July 2004 - UNSCR 1556
Yugoslavia (FRY) 31 Mar. 1998 10 Sep. 2001 UNSCR 1160
       
Non Mandatory UN Embargoes      
Afghanistan 22 Oct. 1996 (Oct. 2001) UNSCR 1076
Eritrea 12 Feb. 1999 17 May 2000 UNSCR 1227
Ethiopia 12 Feb. 1999 17 May 2000 UNSCR 1227

 

EU and other multilateral arms embargoes

Target Entry into force Lifted Establishing Document
       
EU embargoes (mandatory only for EU members)      
Afghanistan 17 Dec. 1996 (26 Feb. 2001) 96/746/CFSP
Afghanistan (Taliban) (26 Feb. 2001) (27 May 2002) 2001/154/CFSP
Al-Qaeda, Taliban, Usama Bin Laden 27 May 2002 - 2002/402/CFSP
Belarus 20 June 2011 - 2011/357/CFSP
Bosnia and Herzegovina 5 July 1991 23. Jan 2006 EC declaration
China 27 June 1989 - EC declaration
Cote d'Ivoire 15 Nov. 2004 - 2004/852/CFSP
Croatia 5 July 1991 20 Nov. 2000 EC declaration
DRC (NGF since 2003)
7 Apr. 1993 - EC declaration
Eritrea 1 Mar. 2010 - 2010/127/CFSP
Eritrea 15 Mar. 1999 31 May 2001 1999/206/CFSP
Ethiopia 15 Mar. 1999 31 May 2001 1999/206/CFSP
Guinea
27 Oct. 2009 - 2009/788/CFSP
Indonesia 17 Sep. 1999 17 Jan. 2000 1999/624/CFSP
Iran 23 April 2007   2007/246/CFSP
Iraq (NGF since 2004)
4 Aug. 1990 - EC declaration
Lebanon (NGF)
15 Sep. 2006 - 2006/625/CFSP
Liberia 7 May 2001 - 2001/357/CFSP
Libya 27 Jan. 1986 11 Oct. 2004 EC declaration
Libya 28 Feb. 2011
2011/137/CFSP
Myanmar (Burma) 29 July 1991 - EC declaration
Nigeria 20 Nov. 1995 1 June 1999 95/515/CFSP
North Korea (DPRK) 22 Nov. 2006 - 2006/795/CFSP
Sierra Leone (NGF) 5 June 1998 29 Oct. 2010
98/409/CFSP
Slovenia 5 July 1991 (16 Feb. 1996) EC declaration
Somalia 10 Dec. 2002 - 2002/960/CFSP
South Sudan 18 July. 2011 - 2011/423/CFSP
Sudan 15 Mar. 1994 - 94/165/CFSP
Syria 9 May. 2011 - 2011/273/CFSP
Uzbekistan 14 Nov. 2005 31 Oct. 2009
2005/792/CFSP
Yugoslavia (FRY) 5 July 1991 8 Oct. 2001 EC declaration
Zimbabwe 18 Feb. 2002 - 2002/145/CFSP
       
Other multilateral embargoes
 
Target                        
Entry into force          
Lifted                     
Establishing Document
       
Nagorno-Karabkh (Azerbaijan) 28 Feb. 1992 - OSCE statement
Burundi a 6 Aug. 1996 23 Jan. 1999 -
Guinea 17 Oct. 2009 25 Mar. 2011 -
Nigeria b 24 Apr. 1996 Nov. 1999 -
Syria 3 Dec. 2011 - LAS statement
Togo c 19 Feb. 2005 26 Feb. 2005 -
Togo d 25 Feb. 2005 (27-28 May 2005) e -

 

Acronyms: DRC = Democratic Republic of Congo (former Zaire); FRY = Federal Republic of Yugoslavia ; CFSP = Common Foreign and Security Policy; EC = European Community; EU = European Union;
LAS = League of Arab States; NGF = Non-Governmental Forces; OSCE = Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe; UNITA = National Union for the Total Independence of Angola; UNSCR = UN Security Council Resolution. 

 

a Embargo by the DRC, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia. 

b Commonwealth embargo. 

c This embargo was imposed by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), of which Togo is a member. It is the first ECOWAS embargo ever. ECOWAS stated to the press that a 'complete arms embargo' was part of the sanctions. 

d This embargo was imposed by the African Union (AU), following the lead of ECOWAS (see above). On 20 February 2005 the Commission of the AU asked its members to support the ECOWAS embargo and adopted an equivalent embargo on 25 February 2005. However, there seems to be no formal AU document which refers to the establishment of the embargo. 

e On the same day as the presidential elections of 27 May 2005 the AU issued a positive Communique on the situation in Togo. Although, this document did not directly refer to the lifting of the embargo and other sanctions, it can be taken to imply that the embago is no longer in force.

 

Source: SIPRI arms transfers archives.