Security Council Grants Six-Month Mandate Renewal for United Nations Disengagement Observer Force, Adopting Resolution 2450 (2018)

The Security Council today decided to renew the mandate of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) for six months, while calling on all parties to exercise maximum restraint and prevent any ceasefire breaches in the “area of separation” where no military activity of any kind is permitted.

Unanimously adopting resolution 2450 (2018), the 15‑member Council renewed UNDOF’s mandate until 30 June 2019, while stressing the obligation of the parties to scrupulously and fully respect the terms of the 1974 Disengagement of Forces Agreement.  Calling upon them to immediately implement resolution 338 (1973) — which obliges them to cease all firing and terminate all military activity — Council members underlined that there should be no military activity by armed opposition groups in the area of separation, including by the Syrian Arab Armed Forces.

In that regard, the Council urged Member States to convey strongly to Syrian armed opposition groups in UNDOF’s area of operations that the Force remains an impartial entity, to halt all activities that endanger United Nations peacekeepers and to accord the Organization’s personnel the freedom needed to carry out their mandate safely and securely.  It further encouraged the parties to take advantage of UNDOF’s liaison function regularly to address issues of mutual concern.

By other terms, the Council called upon all groups other than UNDOF to abandon all UNDOF positions; return the peacekeepers’ vehicles, weapons and other equipment; cooperate fully with the Force’s operations; respect its privileges and immunities; and ensure its freedom of movement.

The meeting began at 10:10 a.m. and ended at 10:12 a.m.

Resolution

The full text of resolution 2450 (2018) reads as follows:

“The Security Council,

“Noting with concern that the situation in the Middle East is tense and is likely to remain so, unless and until a comprehensive settlement covering all aspects of the Middle East problem can be reached,

“Having considered the report of the Secretary-General on the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) of 6 December 2018 (document S/2018/1088) and also reaffirming its resolution 1308 (2000) of 17 July 2000,

“Stressing that both parties must abide by the terms of the 1974 Disengagement of Forces Agreement between Israel and the Syrian Arab Republic and scrupulously observe the ceasefire,

“Concurring with the Secretary-General’s findings that the ongoing military activities conducted by any actor in the area of separation continue to have the potential to escalate tensions between Israel and the Syrian Arab Republic, jeopardize the ceasefire between the two countries, and pose a risk to the local civilian population and United Nations personnel on the ground,

“Expressing alarm that violence in the Syrian Arab Republic risks a serious conflagration of the conflict in the region

“Expressing grave concern at all violations of the Disengagement of Forces Agreement,

“Noting the Secretary-General’s latest report on the situation in the area of operations of UNDOF, including findings about weapons fire across the ceasefire line as well as ongoing military activity on the Bravo side of the area of separation, and in this regard underscoring that there should be no military forces, military equipment or personnel in the area of separation other than those of UNDOF,

“Underlining the need for all parties to the Syrian domestic conflict to cease military actions in the UNDOF area of operations and to respect international humanitarian law,

“Echoing the Secretary-General’s call upon all parties to the Syrian domestic conflict to cease military actions throughout the country, including in the UNDOF area of operations,

“Noting the significant threat to the UN personnel in the UNDOF area of operation from unexploded ordnance, explosive remnants of war and mines, and emphasizing in this regard the need for demining and clearance operations in strict compliance with the 1974 Disengagement of Forces Agreement,

“Reaffirming its readiness to consider listing individuals, groups, undertakings, and entities providing support to the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as Da’esh) or to the Al-Nusra Front (also known as Jabhat Fateh al-Sham or Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham), including those who are financing, arming, planning, or recruiting for ISIL or the Al-Nusra Front and all other individuals, groups, undertakings, and entities associated with ISIL and Al-Qaida as listed on the ISIL (Da’esh) and Al-Qaida Sanctions List, including those participating in or otherwise supporting attacks against UNDOF peacekeepers,

“Recognizing the necessity of efforts to flexibly adjust UNDOF’s posture to minimize the security risk to UNDOF personnel as UNDOF continues to implement its mandate, while emphasizing that the ultimate goal is for the peacekeepers to return to their positions in UNDOF’s area of operations as soon as practicable,

“Emphasizing the importance of Security Council and troop-contributing countries having access to reports and information related to UNDOF’s redeployment configuration, and reinforcing that such information assists the Security Council with evaluating, mandating, and reviewing UNDOF and with effective consultation with troop-contributing countries,

“Underscoring the need for UNDOF to have at its disposal all necessary means and resources to carry out its mandate safely and securely, including technology and equipment to enhance its observation of the area of separation and the ceasefire line, and to improve force protection, as appropriate, and recalling that the theft of United Nations weapons and ammunition, vehicles and other assets, and the looting and destruction of United Nations facilities, are unacceptable,

“Expressing its profound appreciation to UNDOF’s military and civilian personnel, including those from Observer Group Golan, for their service in an ongoing, challenging operating environment, underscoring the important contribution UNDOF’s continued presence makes to peace and security in the Middle East, welcoming steps taken to enhance the safety and security of UNDOF, including Observer Group Golan, personnel, and stressing the need for continued vigilance to ensure the safety and security of UNDOF and Observer Group Golan personnel,

“Strongly condemning incidents threatening the safety and security of United Nations personnel,

“Expressing its appreciation to UNDOF, including Observer Group Golan, for the ongoing efforts to consolidate its presence at Camp Faouar and further progress towards expanding its presence in its area of operations through patrols and rehabilitation of positions on the Bravo side,

“Taking note of the Secretary-General’s plan for UNDOF to return to vacated positions on the Bravo side based on a continuous assessment of security in the area of separation and its surroundings, and continued discussion and coordination with the parties,

“Recalls that UNDOF’s deployment and the 1974 Disengagement of Forces Agreement are steps toward a just and durable peace on the basis of Security Council resolution 338 (1973),

“Recalling its request of the Secretary-General to ensure that data related to the effectiveness of peacekeeping operations, including peacekeeping performance data, is used to improve analytics and the evaluation of mission operations, based on clear and well identified benchmarks,

“Recalling resolution 2242 (2015) and its aspiration to increase the number of women in military and police contingents of United Nations peacekeeping operations,

“1.   Calls upon the parties concerned to implement immediately its resolution 338 (1973) of 22 October 1973;

“2.   Stresses the obligation on both parties to scrupulously and fully respect the terms of the 1974 Disengagement of Forces Agreement, calls on the parties to exercise maximum restraint and prevent any breaches of the ceasefire and the area of separation, encourages the parties to take advantage of UNDOF’s liaison function regularly to address issues of mutual concern, as appropriate, and underscores that there should be no military activity of any kind in the area of separation, including military operations by the Syrian Arab Armed Forces;

“3.   Underlines that there should be no military activity of the armed opposition groups in the area of separation, and urges Member States to convey strongly to the Syrian armed opposition groups in UNDOF’s area of operations that UNDOF remains an impartial entity and to halt all activities that endanger United Nations peacekeepers on the ground and to accord the United Nations personnel on the ground the freedom to carry out their mandate safely and securely;

“4.   Calls on all groups other than UNDOF to abandon all UNDOF positions, and return the peacekeepers’ vehicles, weapons, and other equipment;

“5.   Calls on all parties to cooperate fully with the operations of UNDOF, to respect its privileges and immunities and to ensure its freedom of movement, as well as the security of and unhindered and immediate access for the United Nations personnel carrying out their mandate, including the unimpeded delivery of UNDOF equipment and the temporary use of alternative ports of entry and departure, as required, to ensure safe and secure troop rotation and resupply activities, in conformity with existing agreements, and urges prompt reporting by the Secretary-General to the Security Council and troop-contributing countries of any actions that impede UNDOF’s ability to fulfil its mandate;

“6.   Welcomes the reopening of the Quneitra crossing point and encourages the parties to provide all the necessary support to allow full utilization of the crossing by UNDOF in line with established procedures to allow UNDOF to increase its operations on the Bravo side to facilitate effective and efficient mandate implementation;

“7.   Welcomes UNDOF’s ongoing efforts to consolidate its presence at Camp Faouar and its efforts to intensify its operations in the area of separation, as well as the cooperation of the parties to facilitate this return, together with continued efforts to plan for UNDOF’s expeditious return to vacated positions in the area of separation, including the provision of adequate force protection, based on a continuous assessment of security in the area and encourages the mission to resume its responsibilities in the areas of limitation on the Bravo side as soon as practicable;

“8.   Underscores the importance of progress in the deployment of appropriate technology, including counter‑improvised explosive device capabilities and a sense and warn system, as well as in addressing civilian staffing needs, to ensure the safety and security of UNDOF personnel and equipment, following appropriate consultations with the parties, and notes in this regard that the Secretary-General’s proposal for such technologies has been delivered to the parties for approval;

“9.   Encourages the parties to the Disengagement Agreement to engage constructively to facilitate necessary arrangements with UNDOF for the Force’s return to vacated positions, taking into account existing agreements;

“10.  Notes the recent conduct of an independent review and encourages the Department of Peacekeeping Operations, UNDOF, and the UN Truce Supervision Organization to continue relevant discussions on the panel’s recommendations to improve mission performance and implementation of UNDOF’s mandate;

“11.  Reaffirms its support for the development of an integrated performance policy framework that identifies clear standards of performance for evaluating all United Nations civilian and uniformed personnel working in and supporting peacekeeping operations, and calls on the United Nations to apply this framework to UNDOF, and requests the Secretary-General seek to increase the number of women in UNDOF, as well as to ensure the meaningful participation of women in all aspects of operations;

“12.  Welcomes the efforts being undertaken by UNDOF to implement the Secretary-General’s zero-tolerance policy on sexual exploitation and abuse and to ensure full compliance of its personnel with the United Nations code of conduct, requests the Secretary-General to continue to take all necessary action in this regard and to keep the Security Council informed, and urges troop-contributing countries to take preventive and disciplinary action to ensure that such acts are properly investigated and punished in cases involving their personnel;

“13.  Decides to renew the mandate of UNDOF for a period of six months, that is, until 30 June 2019, and requests the Secretary-General to ensure that UNDOF has the required capacity and resources to fulfil the mandate in a safe and secure way;

“14.  Requests the Secretary-General to report every 90 days on developments in the situation and the measures taken to implement resolution 338 (1973).”