Security Council extends UNMISS mandate and discusses Sudan-South Sudan relations
July 11, 2013 (WASHINGTON) – The United Nations Security Council on Thursday renewed for another year the mandate of UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) and held a consultation meeting on relations between the two Sudans.
As expected, the 15-member council approved unanimously a resolution drafted by the United States, extending UNMISS’s mandate until 15 July 2014. The resolution demanded the South Sudanese government ensure unrestricted freedom of movement throughout its territory for the mission and its associated organisations.
The Security Council also welcomed the geographical reconfiguration of UNMISS “military and asset deployment so as to focus on volatile high-risk areas and associated protection requirements”. The measure was announced in the report that the UN secretary general submitted last month.
But earlier on Thursday morning the Council was briefed by the head of the peacekeeping department, Hervé Ladsous, who was in the region and met with the leadership of the two countries, including presidents Omer Al-Bashir and Salva Kiir.
Ladsous briefed the Security Council about the ongoing efforts to ease the tensions between Khartoum and Juba and the outcome of the talks held between the vice-presidents of the two countries following a two-day visit by Riek Machar to Sudan.
US acting ambassador to the United Nations, Rosemary A. DiCarlo, who chairs the Council for this month told reporters that Ladsous updated the Council on progress between Sudan and South Sudan in implementing their bilateral agreements and in particular on their follow-up to President Mbeki’s June 9 proposals and the joint statement by the governments of Sudan and South Sudan on July 1.
“Ladsous reported that there’s been some progress in the AU Border Program Technical Team’s efforts to ‘technically determine’ the centerline of the demilitarized border zone between the two countries”, she said.
Machar and his Sudanese counterpart reiterated in a joint statement on 1 July their commitment to implement fully the cooperation agreement and particularly to not support the rebel groups from both sides.
She noted that the Sudanese government sent a letter on 7 July to the head of the African Union mediation panel, Thabo Mbeki regarding the flow of the South Sudanese oil, saying that “shutdown (of the pipelines) would not be necessary” if South Sudan agrees to stop harbouring and supporting rebels in Sudan”.
DiCarlo said that the Council members consider the Machar-Taha meetings “as a positive step” and stressed they are however concerned by the continued disagreements between the two countries.
The 15 members in addition “underscored the importance of operationalizing the Joint Border Verification and Monitoring Mechanism (JBVMM)”, she pointed out. The meeting also discussed the need to resume the aerial reconnaissance flights conducted by the UNISFA.
The border monitoring flights have been suspended since 14 June when the rebel SPLM-N shelled Kadugli airport, which serves as a base for the mission’s flights.
In her national capacity, the American diplomat, emphasised “the importance of Sudan and South Sudan promptly implementing all of their bilateral agreements, and in particular on the final status of the Abyei Area”. She further said Mbeki’s proposal on Abyei is “a fair and pragmatic solution that protects the interests of all parties in Abyei”.
DiCarlo, also, called on the Sudanese government and the rebel SPLM-N “to resume direct talks and ensure unhindered humanitarian access, a cessation of hostilities, and a negotiated political settlement of the conflict in Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile”.
Asked by a journalist about allegations from some of the Council members that Washington “is pulling its punches with South Sudan” the acting ambassador who replaces for a time Susan Rice said “I would reject the statement which you have made that we are soft on South Sudan”.
(ST)