Australia’s continued commitment to sanctions enforcement against North Korea

Royal Australian Navy frigate HMAS Warramunga has joined international efforts to enforce United Nations Security Council sanctions on North Korea.

This is the sixth time Australia has deployed a warship on Operation Argos, Australia’s commitment to the enforcement of these sanctions, since it began in 2018. Operation Argos is an important part of Australia’s efforts to support nuclear non-proliferation and the ongoing stability and security of the Indo-Pacific.

Warramunga will monitor and deter North Korea’s illegal ship-toship transfers of sanctioned goods.

Chief of Joint Operations, Lieutenant General Greg Bilton said the deployment will add weight to Australia’s economic and diplomatic pressure on North Korea.

“Enforcing UN sanctions supports the international community’s goal of the complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearisation of North Korea,” Lieutenant General Bilton said.

“Australia is committed to the stability and security of our region and will continue to enforce sanctions until North Korea takes concrete steps towards denuclearisation.”

Warramunga will contribute to a multinational force including Canada, France, Japan, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States.

The ship is the second to deploy on Operation Argos this year, following the deployment of HMAS Ballarat in May 2021.

RAAF P-8A maritime patrol aircraft have contributed to Operation Argos on nine occasions, most recently in August 2021.

HMAS Warramunga is currently conducting a deployment to Southeast and Northeast Asia, which includes several navy-to-navy engagements with partner nations across the region.

Peacekeepers shot at in C African Republic

The United Nations mission in the Central African Republic has accused the country’s presidential guard of opening fire on unarmed Egyptian peacekeepers and wounding 10 of them but the government says the allegation is inaccurate.

The alleged shooting is the latest in a series of incidents to strain the relationship between the government and the UN mission, known as MINUSCA, which has accused security forces of repeatedly violating the two sides’ status of forces agreement.

MINUSCA said in a statement that the Egyptian peacekeepers had just arrived at the capital Bangui’s airport on Monday when they “suffered heavy fire from the presidential guards without any prior warning or response, even though they were unarmed”.

“MINUSCA strongly condemns what appears to be a deliberate and unjustifiable attack,” it said.

In its attempt to withdraw from the area, located about 120 metres from the presidential residence, the bus transporting the Egyptian unit struck and killed a woman, it said.

Albert Yaloke Mokpeme, President Faustin-Archange Touadera’s spokesman, said the defence ministry would issue a statement later.

“They (MINUSCA) have said something that has nothing to do with reality,” Mokpeme told Reuters, without giving further details.

MINUSCA first deployed to Central African Republic in 2013 following a rebellion that plunged the gold and diamond-producing country into turmoil. The mission has more than 12,000 military and police personnel.

Its relations with the government have soured over a UN arms embargo and the government’s use of Russian security contractors.

In an October 12 report to the UN Security Council, the head of MINUSCA, Mankeur Ndiaye, said the mission had recorded 41 violations of the status of forces agreement between June 1 and October 1.

He cited the obstruction of peacekeeping patrols, the detention of staff members and searches of the residences of UN personnel.

The Security Council is expected to extend MINUSCA’s mandate by another year after it when it expires on November 15.