The COVID-19 pandemic is having a significant impact on United Nations peacekeeping missions worldwide, but they are rising to the challenge in ways that align with their respective mandates and the unique situations that they each face on the ground, three Force Commanders said during a 4 June videoconference meeting of the Security Council.
The Security Council in a 4 June videoconference meeting extended the mandate of the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID) until 31 December, deciding that the peacekeeping mission will maintain its current troop and police ceilings during this period.
The Security Council, in a 4 June videoconference meeting, decided to establish a new political mission in Sudan to assist the country in its transition towards democratic governance, provide support for peace negotiations and bolster efforts to maintain accountable rule of law and security institutions.
The Security Council in a 29 May videoconference meeting decided unanimously to maintain current troop and police ceilings of the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID) until 3 June.
The Security Council decided unanimously to extend the mandate of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) until 31 May 2021, during a 29 May videoconference meeting.
The Security Council renewed until 31 May 2021 the arms embargo and targeted sanctions imposed on South Sudan, in a videoconference meeting on 29 May, while extending the mandate of the Panel of Experts tasked with overseeing those measures until 1 July 2021.
The Security Council decided, in a 29 May videoconference meeting, to reauthorize the deployment of African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) personnel for nine months, requiring them to support security in the lead-up to elections and to work towards the gradual hand-over of responsibility to Somali forces by 2021.
The COVID-19 pandemic is a test of the multilateral system’s ability to overcome global challenges through collective action, the European Union’s foreign policy chief told the Security Council in a videoconference meeting on 28 May, where he called on the 15-member organ to overcome its differences and unite to resolve conflicts and reinforce international peace and security.
In a world dramatically altered by COVID-19, civilians in conflict hotspots — weakened by fighting, cut off from aid and now facing escalating attacks by parties exploiting the pandemic — require stronger support from Governments and a more unified international response, delegates heard in a 27 May videoconference meeting of the Security Council.
The COVID-19 pandemic poses grave consequences in Somalia ahead of long-awaited elections as the Government grapples to address terrorist attacks, floods, an extreme locust infestation and at least 5 million citizens requiring humanitarian assistance, including 2.6 million internally displaced persons, briefers told the Security Council in a videoconference meeting on 21 May.
