On April 13, 2017, the Government of Canada repealed its sanctions against Liberia and Côte d’Ivoire.
As a member of the United Nations, Canada is obliged to implement decisions of the United Nations Security Council (“UNSC”) into domestic law. The Government of Canada implements UNSC decisions imposing economic sanctions by way of regulations made under the United Nations Act. The Regulations Implementing the United Nations Resolutions on Liberia entered into force in Canada on July 12, 2001, and the United Nations Côte d’Ivoire Regulations (collectively, the “UN Regulations”) entered into force in Canada on May 3, 2005. Canada does not impose any sanctions measures against these countries either autonomously, or pursuant to any other international obligations, under the Special Economic Measures Act.
On April 28, 2016, and May 25, 2016, the UNSC passed resolutions terminating its sanctions measures against Côte d’Ivoire and Liberia, respectively. Despite those terminating resolutions, Canadian sanctions measures against both countries remained in force until the UN Regulations were repealed on April 13, 2017.
Unofficial copies of the regulations repealing the UN Regulations can be found here and here for Côte d’Ivoire and Liberia, respectively.
