The government has decided to impose an arms embargo against Eritrea, following a decision by the United Nations Security Council.

The UN Security Council approved the move and other sanctions in late December last year over Eritrea supplying weapons to Islamic insurgents opposed to the Somali government and refusing to resolve a border dispute with neighboring Djibouti.

Switzerland’s embargo will come into force on Thursday and will concern the delivery, sale and export of all munitions to Eritrea, the economics ministry said in a statement. The financing of munitions or military activities is also banned.

“By supporting Somali rebel groups, Eritrea endangers the peace efforts and the stability of the region,” the statement said. It also pointed to the Djibouti dispute.

According to the ministry, in the past ten years Switzerland has only exported mine destruction charges, worth SFr60,000 ($57,100), to Eritrea. These went to the UN Emergency Mine Action Assistance in Eritrea.

swissinfo.ch and agencies