One of those affected by the UN Security Council sanctions regime on Liberia, renewed last month, is exuberant over the fact that he has been quarantined within Liberia, unable to leave. 
Mr. Cyril Allen, one of Mr. Charles Taylor’s powerful allies during and after the war, told journalists last week that the travel ban imposed on him has saved him money, up to US12, 000 per annum on travel, and that he has no regrets. 
The ban was imposed during the formative days of the war, with the objective of ensuring that those who fomented chaos in the country and around the region would not be allowed to spread their eggs of death and destruction. 
The UN Security Council had basically 3 objectives: 
1. To ensure that the Security Council be informed ahead of time before weapons are shipped for the Government of Liberia
2. to ensure that the agents of war are confined within Liberia’s territorial limits
3. to ensure that assets they owned be frozen so as to limit their ability to make war. 
Last month, the UN Security Council renewed those positions, indicating that Liberia has still not met, with satisfaction, the preconditions for becoming a normal nation-state. 
On 17 December 2011, the Security Council re-stated its positions, indicating no change since 2003: 
“All States shall take the necessary measures to prevent the supply of arms and any related material and the provision of any assistance, advice, or training related to military activities to all non-governmental entities and individuals operating in the territory of Liberia.
All States shall take the necessary measures to prevent the entry into or transit through their territories of individuals designated by the Committee for inclusion on its Travel Ban List on the basis of the criteria set out in paragraph 4(a) of resolution 1521 (2003)
It decided that “all States shall freeze without delay funds, other financial assets and economic resources owned or controlled by individuals and entities designated by the Committee for inclusion on the Assets Freeze List on the basis of the criteria set out in paragraph 1 of resolution 1532 (2004)
It ordered that, “States implement the travel ban and assets freeze measures in connection with individuals and entities included in the Travel Ban List and Assets Freeze List, which are maintained and regularly updated by the Committee.
It said: “While resolution 1903 (2009) terminated the arms embargo with regard to the Government of Liberia, by paragraph 6 of that resolution the Security Council decided that all States shall notify in advance to the Committee any shipment of arms and related materiel to the Government of Liberia, or any provision of assistance, advice or training related to military activities for the Government of Liberia.
“Previously, the sanctions regime included prohibitions on the import of all round logs and timber products from Liberia, however the Security Council decided to allow the timber sanctions to expire on 20 June 2006 with the adoption of resolution 1689 (2006) in light of the Government of Liberia’s commitment to transparent management of the country’s forestry resources (see SC/8856).
The Liberia sanctions regime also previously included prohibitions on the import of rough diamonds from Liberia, however the Security Council decided to terminate the diamond sanctions on 27 April 2007, with the adoption of resolution 1753 (2007).
The current Chairman of the Committee, for the period ending on 31 December 2011, is His Excellency Mr. Nawaf Salam (Lebanon). The two Vice-Chairs for 2011 are Portugal and South Africa. The Committee publishes annual reports of its activities. The Committee has guidelines for the conduct of its work, including on the listing and de-listing procedures. 
Several of those on the travel ban and assets freeze list remain prominent in government, some re-elected to the legislature. Whether President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, in her second and final term of office, will ensure the implementation of the Security Council’s decisions is unlikely if the legislature is involved in the decision making process.