Security Council

5734^th Meeting (PM)

SECURITY COUNCIL INDICATES READINESS TO AUTHORIZE ‘MULTIDIMENSIONAL’ PEACEKEEPING

FORCE TO PROTECT CIVILIANS IN CHAD, CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC

Acting on new proposals from Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, the Security Council today expressed its readiness to authorize a United Nations-backed, European Union-led peacekeeping force to help protect scores of refugees trapped in eastern Chad and north-eastern Central African Republic -- the violent region bordering Sudan’s strife-torn Darfur.

Reading out a statement during a formal meeting (S/PRST/2007/30), Council President Pascal Gayama of the Republic of Congo reiterated the 15-nation body’s concern about the prevailing insecurity along the borders between the Sudan and its two poverty-stricken neighbouring countries, which have experienced huge refugee flows from Darfur and rising violence that has followed in their wake.

The Security Council encouraged the Secretary-General and the European Union, in consultation with the Governments of Chad and the Central African Republic, to proceed with preparations for a “multidimensional presence” that would primarily “contribute to the protection of refugees, internally displaced persons and civilian populations at risk…as well as facilitate the provision of humanitarian assistance”.

Council members also requested the Secretary-General to study, in consultation with the Governments of Chad and the Central African Republic, the follow-on arrangements of this multidimensional force after one year, in particular on the basis of a joint assessment for requirements to be conducted by the world body and the European Union six months after the force has been deployed.

The Council also encouraged the Secretary-General and the European Union to continue to collaborate with the African Union and regional stakeholders in support of the ongoing process of improving the security situation in the Sudan, Chad and the Central African Republic.

The Secretary-General, in his recent report to the Council (document S/2007/488), unveiled revised plans for a United Nations presence in the troubled region earlier this month, following the Security Council’s approval in mid-July of a 26,000-strong joint African Union-United Nations force for Darfur, where nearly 250,000 people have died and 2.5 million have been driven from their homes during four years of fighting between Government-backed forces and ethnic rebel clans.

The proposal envisioned three main components in a United Nations-mandated mission:  a European Union military force; a new unit of Chad's police to maintain law and order in refugee camps and areas with large numbers of displaced civilians in eastern Chad; and a multidimensional United Nations presence of civilian staff, focusing on the areas of civil affairs, human rights, the rule of law and mission support.  The headquarters will be in N'Djamena, the Chadian capital.

In his report, the Secretary-General said the deployment of a United Nations-mandated multidimensional international presence in Chad and the Central African Republic “could have a significant positive impact on the security situation there”, adding that a lasting solution to the region's crises -– including the violence and suffering engulfing Sudan's Darfur region –- is only possible through political agreements.

The Council’s meeting began at 4:52 p.m. and ended at 4:56 p.m.

Presidential Statement

The full text of presidential statement S/PRST/2007/30 reads as follows:

“The Security Council reiterates its concern about the prevailing insecurity along the borders between the Sudan, Chad and the Central African Republic and about the threat which this poses to the civilian population and the conduct of humanitarian operations.

“Following the adoption of resolution 1769 (2007), the Security Council welcomes the report of the Secretary-General dated 10 August 2007 (S/2007/488), which proposes a revised concept of operations for a multidimensional presence aimed at contributing to the protection of refugees, internally displaced persons and civilian populations at risk in eastern Chad and the north-eastern Central African Republic as well as facilitating the provision of humanitarian assistance.

“The Security Council takes note of the Secretary-General’s observations and proposals relating to military elements of the multidimensional presence.  It welcomes the readiness of the European Union, expressed at the meeting of the Council of the European Union on 23 and 24 July 2007, to consider the establishment of an operation in support of the United Nations presence in eastern Chad and the north-eastern Central African Republic.

“The Security Council encourages the Secretary-General and the European Union, as appropriate and in consultation with the Governments of Chad and the Central African Republic, to proceed with preparations for this multidimensional presence.  It requests the Secretary-General to study, in consultation with the Governments of Chad and the Central African Republic, the follow-on arrangements for this multidimensional presence after a period of 12 months, in particular on the basis of a joint assessment of requirements to be conducted by the United Nations Organization and the European Union six months after the deployment of the multidimensional presence.

“The Security Council expresses its readiness to authorize the establishment of a multidimensional presence in eastern Chad and the north-eastern Central African Republic, taking into account the recommendations contained in the Secretary-General’s report and the position of the Governments of Chad and the Central African Republic.

“The Security Council encourages the Secretary-General and the European Union to continue to collaborate with the African Union and regional stakeholders in support of the ongoing process of improving the security situation in Sudan, Chad and the Central African Republic.

“The Security Council requests the Secretary-General to continue to keep it closely informed of the preparations for each element of the multidimensional presence, including further details on the structure, modalities and force levels.

“The Security Council welcomes the signing on 13 August 2007 in Ndjamena of the Political Agreement for the reinforcement of the democratic process in Chad.  It encourages the authorities and political stakeholders in Chad and the Central African Republic to pursue their efforts of national dialogue, with respect for the constitutional framework.”

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For information media • not an official record