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