UN extends South Sudan peace mission for a year as renewed conflict looms
This means the Security Council has authorised the peacekeeping mission to "use all necessary means" to implement its mandate, including the protection of civilians.
The United Nations Security Council has extended the mandate of the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) for another year, as the world's youngest nation teeters on the brink of renewed conflict.
Twelve member states, including Algeria, Denmark, France, Greece, Guyana, Panama, the Republic of Korea, Sierra Leone, Slovenia, Somalia, the United Kingdom, and the United States, voted for the mission's extension against three abstentions from China, Pakistan, and Russia.
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No country was against the extension of the mission whose mandate expired on April 30.
This, therefore, means the Security Council has authorised the peacekeeping mission to "use all necessary means" to implement its mandate, including the protection of civilians, assisting aid delivery while supporting implementation of the 2018 peace agreement, and investigating violations of international law.
The council's resolution maintains the mission's overall force cap at 17,000 troops and 2,101 police, including 88 justice and corrections advisors.
It, however, expressed its readiness to consider adjusting force levels and capacity building based on future conditions.
NMISS was established by the UNSC in 2011, following South Sudan's independence from Sudan, to help maintain peace and stability.
At the time, the young nation was already grappling with conflict and instability—a situation that persists to this day. The political standoff, including the arrest of former Vice President Riek Machar, has escalated into open military confrontation and further unrest, delaying the implementation of the 2018 peace agreement between him and President Salva Kiir.
"This situation is darkly reminiscent of the conflicts of 2013 and 2016, which cost over 400,000 lives," UNMISS Head Nicholas Haysom warned.
The Security Council urged South Sudan's leaders to urgently show political will and build mutual trust and engage in open and constructive dialogue.
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