UN mission in South Sudan briefs Lakes state on mandate

August 17, 2011 (JUBA) – The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), briefed Lakes state’s council of ministers on Wednesday about the new mission’s mandate in the world’s newest country.

The head of UNMISS’s office in Lakes state Renuka Childambaram told ministers and officials that the new mission will support rule of law and developmental activities in the state as well as protecting civilians and promoting human rights, with an emphasis on nation building and training local police.

UNMISS has evolved out of the UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) that was mandated to assist in the implementation of the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement that more than two ended decades of civil war and allowed South Sudan to secede in July after a referendum earlier this year.

Juba has welcomed an extension of the UN’s presence but Khartoum has refused to allow the mission to continue in North Sudan after the CPA ended with South Sudan’s independence on July 9.

At Wednesday’s meeting the Lakes state Legislative Assembly Speaker John Marik Makur called upon UNMISS to support parliament with capacity building, training on human rights as well rule of law.

Lakes state Governor Chol Tong Mayay told his council of ministers that his government will facilitate UNMISS’s work and welcomed the briefing saying that he anticipated that the mission could remain for up to six years.

Conflict that lasted for most of Sudan’s independence has left South Sudan severely underdeveloped. Despite the 2005 peace deal insecurity, through rebellions, cattle raiding and banditry, remains a major problem for Africa’s 54th nation.

(ST)