A ban on timber exports from Liberia has been extended by the United Nations Security Council until after the country’s first post-war elections in October.
The UN imposed the sanctions between 2001 and 2003 to prevent foreign exchange earnings from timber and diamonds being used to purchase arms for the conflict.
Since the civil war ended in 2003 the transitional government has been asking for sanctions to be lifted so the heavily-forested country can start to rebuild its economy.
However, the 15 nations of the Security Council have voted unanimously to maintain bans on timber exports for a further 12 months – although it has promised to look at the situation again after six months.
