South Sudan

The Security Council decided today to renew until 31 May 2020 the arms embargo it imposed on South Sudan last year, as well as the sanctions put into place in 2015 on those blocking peace in the country.

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres today announced the appointment of Lieutenant General Shailesh Tinaikar of India as his new Force Commander of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).

The Security Council extended the mandate of the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) until 15 November today, deciding also to reduce its authorized troop ceiling to 3,550 and increase its authorized police ceiling to 640 personnel, including 148 individual police officers.

The first day for redeploying Ansar Allah forces from Yemen’s three ports of Hodeidah, Salif and Ras-Issa went according to established plans on Saturday, Lieutenant General Michael Lollesgaard, Chair of the Redeployment Coordination Committee, said yesterday.  Formal verification is expected on Tuesday.

UNICEF reports that 894 children — including 106 girls — were released today from the ranks of the Civilian Joint Task Force, a local militia that helps the Nigerian security forces in the fight against insurgency in the country’s north‑east.  UNICEF says more than 3,500 children were recruited between 2013 and 2017.

On 9 April 2019, in accordance with paragraph 19(e) of resolution 2428 (2018), the Panel of Experts on South Sudan transmitted its final report to the President of the Security Council (document S/2019/301). The report is currently available on the Committee’s website via the link below: www.un.org/sc/suborg/en/sanctions/2206/panel-of-experts/reports/.

Michelle Bachelet, High Commissioner for Human Rights, expressed grave concern today that thousands of civilians remain stranded in conflict-affected areas of Tripoli.  She stressed in a statement the urgent need to create safe humanitarian corridors for trapped civilians, for an immediate ceasefire and for resumed talks.

The United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) remains essential to the stability of the border regions between Sudan and South Sudan, the Organization’s Peacekeeping chief told the Security Council today, proposing the creation of a civilian unit to support progress towards political resolution of the dispute and requesting a six-month extension of its mandate.

The planned withdrawal of the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID) by 30 June 2020 is on track, but the political situation in Sudan has changed drastically and could affect implementation of the mission’s mandate going forward, the Joint Special Representative of the African Union and the Secretary-General for the country’s western Darfur region told the Security Council today.

The Security Council decided today to renew until 15 October the support provided by the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) to the Joint Border Verification and Monitoring Mechanism, recognizing that the current situation in the disputed region and along the Sudan-South Sudan border continues to constitute a threat to international peace and security.