(MENAFN) On Monday, the UN Security Council voted to extend the mandate for the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) for one year. The Council's decision garnered 13 votes in favor, ensuring the mission's continuation until April 30, 2025. Notably, permanent members Russia and China abstained from the vote.
The resolution aims to maintain a maximum capacity of 17,000 troops and 2,101 police personnel in total for the mission. This extension comes at a pivotal moment as South Sudan prepares for its first post-independence elections.
China's deputy representative to the UN, Dai Bing, expressed concerns to the Council regarding the resolution, stating that it "puts too much pressure" on the South Sudanese government. He further commented that the resolution makes judgments that are "beyond reasonable limits."
China went on to criticize the United States for disregarding their requests for amendments and asserted that the penholder, presumably referring to the US, "should display inclusiveness, remain objective and impartial."
Anna Evstigneeva, Russia's Deputy Permanent Representative for Political Affairs, praised the role of UNMISS in South Sudan. However, she rejected the idea of broadening the mission's mandate, which she described as "already complex."
The Russian envoy criticized the resolution text, arguing that it contains excessive language "focused on domestic politics." Additionally, they accused the United States of "undermining" trust through their actions.
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