The UN Security Council on Wednesday, October 14, renewed for one year its sanctions regime against people linked to violence in Haiti, including asset freezes, travel bans and an arms embargo.

The resolution, drafted by the United States and Panama, passed with 14 votes in favor and one abstention, from Russia. The Council also extended for 13 months the mandate of the Panel of Experts that monitors the sanctions.

U.S. deputy representative Jennifer Locetta supported the renewal and noted that the embargo makes exceptions for security forces operating under the Haitian government's command. Panama's representative, Eloy Alfaro de Alba, called the arms embargo “a crucial tool for curbing violence and cutting off the supply that fuels the conflict,” but regretted that the Council could not agree to add certain individuals to the sanctions list.

Russia rejected accusations that it was protecting corrupt officials and said the current regime is “ineffective.”

For the first time, the resolution requires the Gang Suppression Force to report any diversion, loss or theft of weapons and ammunition to the Panel of Experts. It urges member states to take “urgent and decisive measures” to enforce the arms embargo.

The regime was created in October 2022, and the arms embargo was extended to the whole country in October 2023. The renewal follows a Panel of Experts report that found Dominican army and police ammunition in the hands of Haitian gangs and only a few hundred dollars frozen in the accounts of some sanctioned people.