Swiss lift final stage of Liberia sanctions
Switzerland has decided to allow the resumption of arms trading to Liberia following a protracted period of peace and stability in the African state. The lifting of the arms embargo on Wednesday signaled the final dismantling of sanctions imposed by Switzerland in 2001.
An estimated 250,000 people lost their lives as civil war ravaged Liberia between 1989 and 2003. Thousands others were injured or faced brutality at the hands of armies run by local warlords.
The country’s first female President, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, has been credited with ensuring stability since she was first elected in 2005. She was awarded the Nobel peace prize in 2011.
Since then, Switzerland has steadily been reducing its various embargoes. In 2007 it lifted its ban on the trade in rough diamonds and last year repealed financial sanctions and travel restrictions.
The United Nations Security Council decided on May 25 to completely remove its sanctions, triggering the same response from Switzerland on Wednesday.
More
Switzerland, the promised land of coats of arms
More
Switzerland and EU reach deal on future bilateral relations
More
More than 58,000 Swiss sign petition for night trains
More
Swiss government rejects proposed super-rich inheritance tax
More
Karin Keller-Sutter officially named Swiss president for 2025
In compliance with the JTI standards
More: SWI swissinfo.ch certified by the Journalism Trust Initiative
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.