Security Council

5882^nd Meeting (Night)

SECURITY COUNCIL EXTENDS MANDATE OF MISSION IN SUDAN, COMMENDS ITS SUPPORT

FOR TRANSITION FROM AFRICAN UNION TO UNITED NATIONS OPERATION

Commending the work of the United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) in support of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, and in easing the transition of the African Union Mission in Sudan to the United Nations-African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID), the Security Council this evening extended the Mission’s mandate until 30 April 2009, with the intention to renew it further.

In resolution 1812 (2008), adopted unanimously, the Council recognized that successful implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement was essential to resolving the crisis in Darfur.  It welcomed the appointment of Derek Plumbly as the new Chairman of the Assessment and Evaluation Commission, while calling for a strengthening of that entity’s autonomy in carrying out its role to oversee and report on implementation of the Peace Agreement.

Further, the Council called on the Government of National Unity to complete the conduct of an inclusive, national census and to prepare the holding of elections throughout Sudan.  It also called on the Secretary-General to recommend measures that the Mission might take to support those elections.  The Council urged UNMIS to begin immediate preparations to support the development of election strategies, in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the parties to the Comprehensive Peace Agreement.

The Council also requested the Mission to provide technical and logistical support to help the Sudanese in the process of demarcating the 1956 North-South border, in accordance with the Comprehensive Peace Agreement.  It called on all parties to accept UNMIS monitoring and verification in the Abyei region bordering the North and South, without prejudice to the final agreement on the actual borders between the two sides.  The Council also urged the Mission to consult with the parties and deploy, as appropriate, personnel to the Abyei region, including the areas of Kordofan.

In terms of disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR) efforts, the Council requested the Mission to pay particular attention to the protection, release and reintegration of all children associated with armed forces and armed groups, and increase its support for the National DDR Coordination Council, as well as the Northern and Southern DDR Commissions.

Requesting the Mission to help establish the necessary security conditions to enable the voluntary return of internally displaced persons from Khartoum to southern Kordofan and Southern Sudan, and that of refugees from their countries of asylum, the Council also reiterated its concern over the restrictions on movement of Mission personnel, calling on the parties to cooperate fully in facilitating the performance of its mandate, as stipulated by international humanitarian law.

The Council also requested the Secretary-General to submit a report on possible measures UNMIS could take to assist with the implementation of a future final peace agreement between the Government of Uganda and the Lord’s Resistance Army.

The meeting began at 9:15 p.m. and ended at 9:20 p.m.

Resolution

The full text of resolution 1812 (2008) reads as follows:

“The Security Council,

“Recalling all its resolutions and presidential statements concerning the situation in the Sudan,

“Recalling also its previous resolutions 1674 (2006) on the protection of civilians in armed conflict, which reaffirms, inter alia, the relevant provisions of the United Nations World Summit outcome document, 1612 (2005) on children in armed conflict, 1502 (2003) on the protection of humanitarian and United Nations personnel, 1325 (2000) on women, peace and security,

“Reaffirming its commitment to the sovereignty, unity, independence, and territorial integrity of the Sudan and to the cause of peace,

“Commending the work of the United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) in support of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), commending the continued commitment by troop-contributing countries in support of this mission, and also commending UNMIS’s efforts in assisting in the transition of the African Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS) to the United Nations African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID),

“Recognizing that successful implementation of the CPA is essential to resolution of the crisis in Darfur and to sustainable peace and stability in the region; and condemning acts of violence perpetrated by all sides,

“Taking note of the report of the Secretary-General on Sudan dated 22 April 2008, including his recommendations and taking note of the report on children and armed conflict in the Sudan (S/2007/520) dated 29 August 2007 and recalling the conclusions endorsed by the Security Council on Children and Armed Conflict in the Sudan (S/AC.51/2008/7),

“Welcoming the appointment of Derek Plumbly as the new chairman of the Assessment and Evaluation Commission (AEC),

“Recalling the commitment of the international community to support the CPA process, including through development aid, and urging donors to support implementation of the CPA and to honour all pledges to this end,

“Recalling the need for UNMIS to make full use of its current mandate and capabilities with regard to the activities of militias and armed groups such as the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) in Sudan, as stated in resolution 1663,

“Welcoming the mediation efforts of the Government of South Sudan to bring an end to the 22-year conflict between the LRA and the Government of Uganda, and urging the parties to reach a resolution,

“Welcoming the start of the national census on 22 April 2008 as a significant milestone in the implementation of the CPA; urging the continued support of a fair and inclusive census and acceptance of the results by all the parties,

“Determining that the situation in the Sudan continues to constitute a threat to international peace and security,

“1.   Decides to extend the mandate of UNMIS until 30 April 2009, with the intention to renew it for further periods;

“2.   Requests the Secretary-General to report to the Council every three months on the implementation of the mandate of UNMIS, progress on implementation of the CPA, and respect for the ceasefire, and to provide an assessment and recommendations on measures UNMIS might take to further support elections, and to advance the peace process;

“3.   Stresses the importance of full and expeditious implementation of all elements of the CPA, the Darfur Peace Agreement, and the October 2006 Eastern Sudan Peace Agreement and calls for all the parties to respect their commitments to these agreements without delay;

“4.   Welcomes the parties sustained commitment to work together in the Government of National Unity (GNU) and urges the cooperation of the National Congress Party (NCP) and the Sudan Peoples Liberation Movement (SPLM) in carrying out their responsibilities to further implement the CPA;

“5.   Stresses the critical role of the AEC in overseeing and reporting on implementation of the CPA and calls for strengthening of the Commission’s autonomy and urges all parties to cooperate fully with the AEC and to implement its recommendations;

“6.   Calls for all parties to cooperate with full unrestricted UNMIS monitoring and verification in the Abyei region, without prejudice to the final agreement on the actual borders between the two sides, and urges UNMIS to consult with the parties, and to deploy, as appropriate, personnel to the Abyei region, including areas of Kordofan;

“7.   Calls upon the parties to address and find a mutually agreeable solution to the Abyei issue; and further urges all parties to redeploy their forces away from the disputed 1 January 1956 border and fully establish an interim administration in Abyei in accordance with the CPA;

“8.   Requests UNMIS, acting within its current mandate and within its current means and capabilities, to provide technical and logistical support, as requested, to help the parties in the process of demarcation of the 1956 North/South border, in accordance with the CPA;

“9.   Stresses the important role of the Joint Integrated Units (JIUs) for the full implementation of the CPA; and urges donors to offer support, both materiel and training, coordinated by UNMIS in consultation with the Joint Defense Board, to enable the full establishment and operational effectiveness of JIUs as soon as possible;

“10.  Welcomes the adoption of the National Strategic Plan for Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR), encourages the parties to agree swiftly on a date to launch its implementation, takes note of the Secretary-General’s proposed benchmarks in this regard and urges UNMIS consistent with its mandate, to assist in voluntary disarmament and weapons collection and destruction efforts in implementation of plans under the CPA for DDR;

“11.  Requests UNMIS, consistent with its mandate and in coordination with the relevant parties and taking into account the need to pay particular attention to the protection, release and reintegration of all children associated to armed forces and armed groups, to increase its support for the National DDR Coordination Council and the Northern and Southern DDR Commissions;

“12.  Further urges donors to respond to calls for assistance from the joint United Nations DDR Unit;

“13.  Encourages UNMIS, consistent with its mandate, and within authorized levels of civilian police to continue efforts to assist the parties to the CPA in promoting the rule of law and in restructuring the police and corrections services in Sudan, including in South Sudan, and to assist in the training of civilian police and corrections officers;

“14.  Urges the GNU to complete the conduct of an inclusive, national census and to prepare expeditiously for the conduct of free and fair elections in all of the Sudan;

“15.  Urges UNMIS, consistent with its mandate, to begin immediate preparations to support the conduct of national elections, including support for the development of a national strategy for the conduct of elections with close collaboration with UNDP and the parties to the CPA, and urges further the international community to provide technical and material assistance for electoral preparations;

“16.  Encourages UNMIS, consistent with its mandate, to assist the parties to the CPA in addressing the need for a national inclusive approach towards reconciliation and peacebuilding, emphasizing in particular the role of women in the prevention and resolution of conflicts and in peacebuilding, as recognized in resolution 1325, and of civil society, and to take this need into account in implementing all aspects of its mandate;

“17.  Calls upon the parties to the CPA and the communiqué, signed between the United Nations and the GNU in Khartoum on 28 March 2007 to support, protect, and facilitate all humanitarian operations and personnel in the Sudan;

“18.  Welcomes the continuing organized returns of internally displaced persons from Khartoum to Southern Kordofan and Southern Sudan and that of refugees from countries of asylum to Southern Sudan and encourages the promotion of efforts, including the provision of necessary resources to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and implementing partners, to ensure that such returns are voluntary and sustainable, and further requests UNMIS, within its capabilities and areas of deployment, to coordinate with partners to facilitate sustainable returns, including by helping to establish the necessary security conditions;

“19.  Expresses concern at the persistence of localized conflict and violence, especially in the border area, mostly affecting civilians and with the potential for escalation; urges in this regard full cooperation of the NCP and the SPLM in carrying out the obligations of the GNU for the protection of civilians in armed conflict, in accordance with resolution 1674; and supports UNMIS’s intent to strengthen its conflict management capacity by developing and executing an integrated strategy to support local conflict resolution mechanisms, in order to maximize protection of civilians;

“20.  Notes that conflict in one area of Sudan affects conflict in other areas in Sudan and in the region, and therefore urges UNMIS to coordinate closely with UNAMID, the AU-UN Joint Mediation Support Team and other stakeholders, to ensure complementary implementation of these bodies’ mandates in support of the implementation of the CPA and of the overall objective of peace in Sudan;

“21.  Further requests UNMIS to coordinate with humanitarian, recovery and development agencies, within its capabilities and areas of deployment, to facilitate the provision of recovery and development assistance, which is essential to deliver a peace dividend to the people of Sudan;

“22.  Calls upon the GNU to cooperate fully with all the United Nations operations within its territory in the implementation of their mandates;

“23.  Requests the Secretary-General to submit for the Council’s consideration a report on possible measures UNMIS could take to assist, with the implementation of a future Final Peace Agreement between the Government of Uganda and the LRA;

“24.  Reiterates its concern over the restrictions and all impediments placed on the movements of UNMIS personnel and materiel in Sudan, and the adverse impact such restrictions and impediments have on UNMIS’s ability to perform its mandate effectively and on the ability of the humanitarian community to reach affected persons; and calls in this regard for all parties to cooperate fully with UNMIS and to facilitate the performance of its mandate, and to abide by their obligations under international humanitarian law;

“25.  Requests the Secretary-General to continue to take the necessary measures to ensure full compliance in UNMIS with the United Nations zero-tolerance policy on sexual exploitation and abuse and to keep the Council informed, and urges troop-contributing countries to take appropriate preventive action including predeployment awareness training, and other action to ensure full accountability in cases of such conduct involving their personnel;

“26.  Decides to remain actively seized of the matter.”

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For information media • not an official record