The UN Security Council renewed on Wednesday the UN mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) for another year. The country is plagued by violence after a civil war.
Thirteen of the fifteen members of the UN Security Council voted in favor of resolution 2677 (2023), which renews the mandate of the UN Mission in South Sudan until 15 March 2024, while China and Russia abstained.
Ten days ago, the head of UNMISS, Nicholas Haysom, called on the interim government of Southern Sudan to implement its peace agreement with the aim of holding credible elections in 2024, adding that the year 2023 is a decisive year for all parties to the peace agreement.
According to a UN statement, UNMISS “will maintain its force at a ceiling level of 17,000 troops and 2,101 police”.
UNMISS is mandated by the Security Council to protect civilians, create conditions for the delivery of humanitarian aid, report on human rights violations, and support the implementation of the peace process and monitoring.