Council extends UN mission for six months

The United Nations Security Council on Tuesday unanimously adopted a resolution extending the mandate of the UN Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) by six months. The mission's mandate had been set to expire on 30 September. The Council's move followed recent proposals by UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan to adjust the mission's mandate and eventually downsize the operation, as the first step towards a gradual handover of security and other responsibilities to the government of Sierra Leone. The 15-member Security Council had also acted in support of the Sierra Leonean government's efforts to continue building on the peace process, according to a UN statement on Tuesday. The Council urged UNAMSIL, guided by circumstances and the government's capacity to take responsibility for security, to complete the first two phases of Annan's plan, the statement said. This would include UNAMSIL achieving a reduction of 4,500 UN peacekeepers within eight months, taking into account the necessary arrangements that need to be completed, it added. The Security Council emphasised that developing the administrative capacities of the Sierra Leonean government (particularly an effective and sustainable police force, army, penal system and independent judiciary) was essential to long-term peace and development. It urged the government of Sierra Leone, with the assistance of donors and UNAMSIL, to accelerate the consolidation of civil authority and public services throughout the country, and to strengthen its operational effectiveness in the security sector. The Council welcomed the start of operations of the Special Court for Sierra Leone, which will deal with war crimes committed during the country's decade-long civil war, encouraging donors to contribute generously to the court's Trust Fund and to disburse existing pledges rapidly. Amid concerns over ongoing fighting in neighbouring Liberia and regional instability, it encouraged the Presidents of the Mano River Union (Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone) to continue their dialogue and to implement their commitments to building regional peace and security. The Council's resolution on Tuesday also encouraged the renewed efforts of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and Morocco to resolve the crisis in the Mano River Union.