UN Peacekeeping Mission in Sierra Leone Extended

UN Peacekeeping Mission’s Mandate in Sierra Leone Extended for Final Six Months

New York, Jun 30 2005 12:00PM

The United Nations Security Council today extended the mandate of its peacekeeping mission in Sierra Leone for a final six months, until the end of the year, and charged the national security forces with keeping order thereafter in the West African country which is recovering from a long civil war.

The unanimously approved resolution was rife with references to security concerns after the departure of the UN Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL).

The Council urged “the Government of Sierra Leone to continue its efforts to develop an effective, affordable and sustainable police force, armed forces, penal system and independent judiciary, and further to promote good governance and strengthen mechanisms to tackle corruption, and encourages donors and UNAMSIL, in accordance with its mandate, to assist the Government in this regard, as well as in restoring public services throughout the country.”

It stressed the importance of providing effective security after UNAMSIL’s withdrawal for the Special Court for Sierra Leone, set up by the UN and the Government of Sierra Leone to try war crimes, and asked UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan to recommend measures to ensure this as soon as possible.

The Security Council encouraged the UN missions in West Africa to continue enhancing their cooperation, “especially in the prevention of movements of arms and combatants across borders and in the implementation of disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration (DDR) programmes.”

UNAMSIL and the UN country team in Sierra Leone should continue their close collaboration to ensure a seamless transition from peacekeeping to peacebuilding, through the implementation of their joint Transition Plan, the Security Council said.

ENDS

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