Security Council Renews Mandate of United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia for 12 Months, Unanimously Adopting Resolution 2540 (2020)

The Security Council, in a videoconference meeting* on 28 August, announced its decision to renew the mandate of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM) for one year, or until 31 August 2021.

Unanimously adopting resolution 2540 (2020), the Council decided that UNSOM should continue to coordinate United Nations efforts, in full cooperation with the Federal Government of Somalia and its federal member states, with a particular focus on several tasks, including provision of support for the delivery of free, fair, timely, peaceful, transparent, credible and inclusive elections, incorporating a direct voting component enabling as many citizens as possible to vote in 2020/2021.

The 15-member organ also asked the Secretary-General to keep it regularly informed on the implementation of this resolution, and identify and report on progress towards achieving key political benchmarks, in particular progress towards elections, including through oral updates and at least four written reports, with the first one due by 15 November and the others every 90 days thereafter.

[Security Council resolutions are currently adopted through a written procedure vote under temporary, extraordinary and provisional measures implemented in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, as set out in a letter (document S/2020/253) by its President for March (China).]

* Based on information received from the Security Council Affairs Division.