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UN Security Council extends Abyei peacekeeping mission for one year
(MENAFN) The UN Security Council on Friday renewed the mandate of the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) for another year, despite concerns from several member states over new conditions attached to the mission.
The resolution, proposed by the United States, was approved with 12 votes in favor and three abstentions from Russia, China, and Pakistan.
US Deputy UN envoy Dorothy Shea welcomed the decision, saying, "While this mandate differs from past mandate renewals, it aligns with the important and necessary goal of making sure missions are guided by clear benchmarks that track progress and ensure host countries are invested in the mission's success."
The US-backed resolution includes three benchmarks for Sudan and South Sudan: the withdrawal of unauthorized armed groups from Abyei, the resumption of Joint Political and Security Mechanism (JPSM) meetings, and the establishment of the Abyei Joint Security Police.
Although most Council members disagreed with the benchmarks, they voted in favor due to the critical role of UNISFA in the region. "These benchmarks will help describe the mission's impact and provide a critical tool to hold host governments accountable for measurable progress," Shea added.
China’s Deputy UN envoy Sun Lei voiced reservations, emphasizing that “any major adjustment to a mission’s mandate or the withdrawal of a mission should be based on the situation on the ground, respect the visions of the host country, and take into account the views of stakeholders.”
The UN deployed UNISFA in 2011 to monitor the oil-rich Abyei Administrative Area, which is jointly claimed and administered by Sudan and South Sudan, a region long affected by conflict.
Speaking for Guyana, Algeria, Sierra Leone, and Somalia, Guyanese envoy Carolyn Rodrigues Birkett acknowledged “serious concerns regarding the unrealistic benchmarks that could question the future renewal of UNISFA's mandate,” but said the E3+ countries voted in favor to preserve the mission’s presence, which remains crucial. She also expressed “profound regret concerning the departure from previously agreed language and established practices.”
Russia’s Deputy UN envoy Anna Evstigneeva criticized the resolution as reflecting a “biased approach” by the US, arguing that the draft linked UNISFA’s future to Sudan and South Sudan meeting key benchmarks without sufficient compromise or substantive revisions.
Slovenia’s envoy Samuel Zbogar echoed concerns, saying, “We regret that the Council did not have sufficient time to bridge remaining differences. The compressed timeline limited our ability to fully consider the implications of several changes introduced into the text by the pen holder.” He added that language in the resolution could appear overly prescriptive regarding the mission’s future presence.
The resolution, proposed by the United States, was approved with 12 votes in favor and three abstentions from Russia, China, and Pakistan.
US Deputy UN envoy Dorothy Shea welcomed the decision, saying, "While this mandate differs from past mandate renewals, it aligns with the important and necessary goal of making sure missions are guided by clear benchmarks that track progress and ensure host countries are invested in the mission's success."
The US-backed resolution includes three benchmarks for Sudan and South Sudan: the withdrawal of unauthorized armed groups from Abyei, the resumption of Joint Political and Security Mechanism (JPSM) meetings, and the establishment of the Abyei Joint Security Police.
Although most Council members disagreed with the benchmarks, they voted in favor due to the critical role of UNISFA in the region. "These benchmarks will help describe the mission's impact and provide a critical tool to hold host governments accountable for measurable progress," Shea added.
China’s Deputy UN envoy Sun Lei voiced reservations, emphasizing that “any major adjustment to a mission’s mandate or the withdrawal of a mission should be based on the situation on the ground, respect the visions of the host country, and take into account the views of stakeholders.”
The UN deployed UNISFA in 2011 to monitor the oil-rich Abyei Administrative Area, which is jointly claimed and administered by Sudan and South Sudan, a region long affected by conflict.
Speaking for Guyana, Algeria, Sierra Leone, and Somalia, Guyanese envoy Carolyn Rodrigues Birkett acknowledged “serious concerns regarding the unrealistic benchmarks that could question the future renewal of UNISFA's mandate,” but said the E3+ countries voted in favor to preserve the mission’s presence, which remains crucial. She also expressed “profound regret concerning the departure from previously agreed language and established practices.”
Russia’s Deputy UN envoy Anna Evstigneeva criticized the resolution as reflecting a “biased approach” by the US, arguing that the draft linked UNISFA’s future to Sudan and South Sudan meeting key benchmarks without sufficient compromise or substantive revisions.
Slovenia’s envoy Samuel Zbogar echoed concerns, saying, “We regret that the Council did not have sufficient time to bridge remaining differences. The compressed timeline limited our ability to fully consider the implications of several changes introduced into the text by the pen holder.” He added that language in the resolution could appear overly prescriptive regarding the mission’s future presence.
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