The UN Security Council on Thursday adopted three resolutions renewing the mandates of the United Nations peacekeeping missions in the Abyei and the Central African Republic as well as extending the sanctions regime against Somalia
UNITED NATIONS (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 12th November, 2020) The UN Security Council on Thursday adopted three resolutions renewing the mandates of the United Nations peacekeeping missions in the Abyei and the Central African Republic as well as extending the sanctions regime against Somalia.
The members of the UN Security Council unanimously agreed to adopt the US-sponsored draft resolution on renewing the mandate of the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) monitoring mission the area along the border of Sudan and South Sudan until May 15, 2021.
The resolution will also extend for the same period of time the Joint Border Verification and Monitoring Mechanism that has been conducting monitoring activities along the border since 2011.
The resolution, renewing the mandate of the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA), also received the support of the 15-member UN Security Council.
The document, drafted by France, renews the mandate of MINUSCA, tasked with supporting the transitional period in the Central African Republic and protecting civilians, for another year. Additionally, the resolution allows French forces to use all means to support the UN mission at the request of the Secretary-General.
The UN Security Council resolution will renew the partial lifting of the arms ban on Somali security forces and extend the mandate of the country's Panel of Experts until December 15, 2021 was supported by 13 member states.
Russia and China, after abstaining from voting on the UK-sponsored draft, stated that the sanctions regime in Somalia should be lifted in order to help the government build greater security capacity and reduce the threat of the al-Shabab terrorist group.
"The draft did not take on board our proposal... for assessing the appropriateness of lifting the current arms embargo [that] has been a serious impediment to enhanced security capacity of the Somali government. We have no choice but to abstain from voting," Chinese Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations Dai Bing told the Security Council.
