Switzerland has decided to lift sanctions against Sierra Leone, originally imposed in 1997 after a United Nations Security Council resolution against the state.

The decision was taken by the Swiss cabinet in its first meeting with newly elected members Johann Schneider-Ammann and Simonetta Sommaruga.

The partial sanctions were imposed after a coup d’état in 1997 ousting the democratically elected president. They involved an arms embargo and a ban on the six leaders of the ruling military junta entering Switzerland.

With the economic and social situation improving and stability returning to the country, the UN Security Council adopted a resolution in September to lift the sanctions, a move that Switzerland has now followed.

But the Swiss cabinet noted that future orders for military equipment would be evaluated in line with the national rules on supplying war materials.

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