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UN mission extended for six months

    ABIDJAN

    Some 17,000 UN peacekeepers will remain in Sierra Leone for another six months, following the Security Council's decision on Thursday to extend the mission till 30 September, UN News reported.

    Council said it was important that the UN Mission in Sierra Leone, known as UNAMSIL, support the government in consolidating peace and security beyond the presidential and parliamentary elections due on 14 May.

    "In a wide-ranging resolution, the Council urged the Government, with UNAMSIL's assistance, to accelerate the restoration of civil authority and public services throughout the country," UN News reported.

    The council said it was “particular important” that key government personnel be sent to the diamond mining areas and for the army to be deployed to the border. The resolution further welcomed the military concept of operations for UNAMSIL for 2002, the main objective of which is to ensure effective security for the forthcoming elections, UN News reported. UNAMSIL has established, within the mission, an electoral component and recruited 30 additional civilian police advisers to support the government and the police in preparation for the polls.

    In addition, the Council expressed "serious concern" at allegations that some United Nations personnel might have been involved in the sexual abuse of women and children in camps for refugees and internally displaced people. Council supported Secretary-General Kofi Annan's policy of "zero tolerance" for such abuse and asked him to make recommendations on the prevention of such crimes.

    This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions

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