Security Council resolution 2287 (2016) [on extension of the mandate of the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) until 15 Nov. 2016]
Symbol: S/RES/2287 (2016)
Date: 2016-05-12
Status: adopted
Agenda: S/71 [217] UN INTERIM SECURITY FORCE FOR ABYEI
S/71 [160] SUDAN--POLITICAL CONDITIONS
S/71 [223] SOUTH SUDAN--POLITICAL CONDITIONS
S/ X Reports of the Secretary-General on the Sudan and South Sudan.
Subjects: UN Interim Security Force for Abyei|Joint Border Verification Monitoring Mechanism (Sudan and South Sudan)|Abyei Joint Oversight Committee|Charter of the United Nations (1945). Chapter VII|INTERNAL SECURITY|PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS|HUMAN RIGHTS IN ARMED CONFLICTS|ABYEI (SUDAN)|SUDAN|SOUTH SUDAN
Votes in favour: 15
Votes against: 0
Abstentions: 0
Voting record:
country: ANGOLA
vote: yes
country: CHINA
vote: yes
country: EGYPT
vote: yes
country: FRANCE
vote: yes
country: JAPAN
vote: yes
country: MALAYSIA
vote: yes
country: NEW ZEALAND
vote: yes
country: RUSSIAN FEDERATION
vote: yes
country: SENEGAL
vote: yes
country: SPAIN
vote: yes
country: UKRAINE
vote: yes
country: UNITED KINGDOM
vote: yes
country: UNITED STATES
vote: yes
country: URUGUAY
vote: yes
country: VENEZUELA (BOLIVARIAN REPUBLIC OF)
vote: yes

               United Nations                                                                    S/RES/2287 (2016)
               Security Council                                                Distr.: General
                                                                               12 May 2016




               Resolution 2287 (2016)
               Adopted by the Security Council at its 7691st meeting, on 12 May 2016

                    The Security Council,
                     Recalling its previous resolutions and its presidential statements on the
               situation in Sudan and South Sudan, and in particular, resolutions 1990 (2011), 2024
               (2011), 2032 (2011), 2046 (2012), 2047 (2012), 2075 (2012), 2104 (2013), 2126
               (2013), 2156 (2014), 2179 (2014), 2205 (2015), 2230 (2015), and 2251 (2015) as
               well as presidential statements S/PRST/2012/19 and S/PRST/2013/14, and the
               Council’s press statements of 18 June 2012, 21 September 2012, 28 September
               2012, 6 May 2013, 14 June 2013, 14 February 2014, 17 March 2014, 11 December
               2014, and 27 November 2015,
                      Reaffirming its strong commitment to the sovereignty, independence, unity and
               territorial integrity of Sudan and South Sudan, and to the purposes and the
               principles of the Charter of the United Nations, and recalling the importance of the
               principles of good neighbourliness, non-interference and regional cooperation,
                     Reiterating that the territorial boundaries of States shall not be altered by
               force, and that any territorial disputes shall be settled exclusively by peaceful
               means, affirming the priority it attaches to the full and urgent implementation of all
               outstanding issues from the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), and
               underscoring that the future status of Abyei shall be resolved by negotiations
               between the parties in a manner consistent with the CPA and not by the unilateral
               actions of either party,
                    Recalling the commitments made by the Government of Sudan and the
               Government of South Sudan in the 20 June 2011 Agreement between the
               Government of Sudan and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement on Temporary
               Arrangements for the Administration and Security of the Abyei Area, the 29 June
               2011 Agreement between the Government of the Sudan and the Government of
               South Sudan on Border Security and the Joint Political and Security Mechanism
               (JPSM), and the 30 July 2011 Agreement on the Border Monitoring Support Mission
               between the Government of Sudan and the Government of South Sudan, as well as
               the 27 September 2012 Agreements on Cooperation and Security Arrangements, the
               JPSM’s 8 March 2013 decision, and the Implementation Matrix of 12 March 2013,
               reached by the Government of Sudan and the Government of South S udan in Addis
               Ababa under the auspices of the African Union High-level Implementation Panel
               (AUHIP), as well as the extraordinary meeting of the JPSM 13 -14 October 2015,


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                     Recognizing some positive developments reported at the beginning of this year
               in relations between the Governments of Sudan and South Sudan on border security,
               encouraging progress on improving bilateral relations between Sudan and South
               Sudan, and stressing the need for regular meetings of the Joint Political and Security
               Mechanism (JPSM) and other joint mechanisms, including the Joint Border
               Commission and Joint Demarcation Committee, to enable dialogue and coordination
               on matters of border security,
                     Welcoming the formation of the Transitional Government of National Unity in
               South Sudan and urging the Governments of Sudan and South Sudan to take this
               opportunity to reinvigorate progress towards implementing the Temporary
               Arrangements for the Administration and Security of the Abyei Area as set out in
               the 20 June 2011 Agreement,
                     Expressing its full support for the efforts of the African Union on the situation
               between the Republic of Sudan and the Republic of South Sudan, in order to ease
               the current tension, facilitate the resumption of negotiations on post -secession
               relations and the normalization of their relations, recalling in this regard the African
               Union Peace and Security Council (AUPSC) communiqués of 24 April 2012,
               24 October 2012, 25 January 2013, 7 May 2013, 29 July 2013, 23 September 2013,
               26 October 2013, 12 November 2013, 12 September 2014, 31 July 2015, 25 August
               2015, and 10 December 2015; the AUPSC press statements of 6 November 2013
               and 24 March 2015; and the statement from the Chairperson of the African Union
               Commission on 28 October 2013 and the 24 June 2015 and 14 Octobe r 2015
               statements from the African Union Commission,
                     Reaffirming its previous resolutions 1265 (1999), 1296 (2000), 1674 (2006),
               1738 (2006), 1894 (2009) 2175 (2014) and 2222 (2015) on the protection of
               civilians in armed conflict; 1612 (2005), 1882 (2009), 1998 (2011), 2068 (2012),
               2143 (2014) and 2223 (2015) on children and armed conflict; 1502 (2003) on the
               protection of humanitarian and United Nations personnel; and 1325 (2000), 1820
               (2008), 1888 (2009), 1889 (2009), 1960 (2010), 2106 (2013), 2122 (201 3), and
               2242 (2015) on women peace and security,
                     Stressing the need for effective human rights monitoring and reporting,
               including of any sexual and gender-based violence and violations and abuses
               committed against women and children, taking note that the re have been no
               developments with regard to the operationalization of human rights monitoring in
               the Abyei Area, and reiterating its concern at the lack of cooperation by the parties
               with the Secretary-General to this end,
                     Recalling that its resolution 2086 (2013) reiterates the importance, when
               establishing and renewing the mandates of United Nations Missions, of including
               provisions on the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women in
               post-conflict situations and on children and armed conflict, and emphasizing that
               persistent barriers to full implementation of resolution 1325 (2000), and subsequent
               resolutions on women, peace, and security, including 2242 (2015), will only be
               dismantled through dedicated commitment to women’s empowerment, p articipation,
               and human rights, and through concerted leadership, consistent information and
               action, and support, to build women’s engagement in all levels of decision -making,
                   Acknowledging the Government of Sudan and the Government of South
               Sudan’s acceptance at the 13-14 October 2015 JPSM meeting of the map presented



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           by the AUHIP in November 2011 relating to the Safe Demilitarized Border Zone
           (SDBZ), their agreement that the centreline is only the location of the separation
           line between armed forces, as well as the Parties’ agreement to activate all
           mechanisms relating to the JPSM as provided for in relevant agreements, and
           encouraging the parties to delineate or agree on the coordinates of, and demilitarize
           the SDBZ, including the “14 Mile Area”, and to fully implement the Joint Border
           Verification and Monitoring Mechanism (JBVMM), in accordance with Security
           Council resolution 2046 (2012) and the AUPSC Roadmap of 24 April 2012, and
           underlining the importance of fully establishing and maintaining effectiv e JBVMM
           monitoring of the SDBZ, including the “14 Mile Area”, and further urging the
           parties to cooperate in allowing the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei
           (UNISFA) to fulfil its responsibility to provide security for the JBVMM’s mission
           to monitor the SDBZ,
                Noting with concern the absence of local institutions to manage the Abyei Area
           and lack of progress in convening an Abyei Joint Oversight Committee (AJOC)
           meeting since March 2015,
                 Recognizing the importance of regular dialogue between the Governments of
           Sudan and South Sudan, recalling the United Nations Security Council decision in
           resolution 2046 (2012) that the parties must resume immediately negotiations to
           reach agreement on Abyei final status under the auspices of the AUHIP, calli ng
           upon all parties to engage constructively in the process mediated by the AUHIP
           towards final agreement on the final status of the Abyei Area, and stressing that the
           parties must immediately implement pending aspects of the 20 June 2011
           Agreement, in particular to resolve the dispute over the Abyei Area Agreement, and
           to resolve the dispute over the Abyei Area Council, and immediately establish the
           Abyei Area Administration and Abyei Police Service,
                Stressing that both countries and communities will have much to gain if they
           show restraint and choose the path of dialogue instead of resorting to violence or
           provocations,
                 Commending the continued assistance provided to the parties by the AUHIP,
           the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, the Federal Democratic Republic
           of Ethiopia, the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Sudan and South Sudan,
           and the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA),
                 Further commending the efforts of UNISFA in effectively carrying out its
           mandate, including by its ongoing facilitation of peaceful migration throughout the
           Abyei Area, conflict prevention, mediation and deterrence, and expressing its deep
           appreciation for the work of the troop-contributing countries, and strongly
           underscoring the unacceptability of any attack on UN personnel, including the
           26 November 2015 attack that resulted in the death of a peacekeeper, and reiterating
           that such attacks should be swiftly and thoroughly investigated, and that t hose
           responsible should be held to account,
                 Taking note of the security situation in the Abyei Area as characterized by the
           15 April 2016 Secretary General’s report (S/2016/353), and acknowledging
           UNISFA’s contribution to enhanced peace and stability since its deployment and
           expressing its determination to prevent the recurrence of violence against or
           displacements of civilians and to avert intercommunal conflict,




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                     Reiterating its deep concern regarding the public administration and rule of
               law vacuum in the Abyei Area, due to continued delays in the establishment of the
               Abyei Area Administration Council and Police, including a special unit to deal with
               particular issues related to nomadic migration, which are essential to maintain law
               and order and prevent intercommunal conflict in Abyei, and in this regard,
               welcoming UNISFA’s efforts to support and strengthen community protection
               committees, and to continue engaging with both governments on this is sue,
                     Noting with concern the continued delay in establishing the temporary
               institutions and resolving the final status of Abyei and that the continued threat of
               intercommunal violence contributes to heightened tensions in the Abyei Area,
               including those ongoing tensions that prevent UNISFA’s and other agencies’
               Sudanese staff from returning to Abyei,
                     Urging all parties to refrain from any unilateral action that could aggravate
               intercommunal relations within the Abyei Area, expressing concern over the
               continued implications of what the AUPSC described in their 6 November 2013
               press statement as “the decision by the Ngok Dinka to conduct a unilateral
               referendum” and also in this context, taking note that the Government of Sudan
               proceeded with its April 2015 national elections in Abyei,
                     Taking note of the information in the 15 April 2016 Secretary-General’s report
               (S/2016/353) regarding completion of earthwork excavation at the Diffra oil
               installation,
                     Bearing in mind the current humanitarian situation in which humanitarian
               actors continue to provide assistance to 139,000 people in the Abyei Area and the
               importance of coherence of United Nations assistance in the region, and further
               stressing the urgency of facilitating the delivery of humanitarian assistance to all
               affected populations,
                     Affirming the importance of voluntary, safe, dignified return and sustainable
               reintegration of displaced persons, and of peaceful and orderly migration cycles
               respecting the traditional migratory routes from Sudan to South Sudan through
               Abyei, and urging UNISFA to continue to take measures as necessary to ensure
               security in the Abyei Area in accordance with its mandate,
                     Recalling its resolution 2117 (2013), and expressing grave co ncern at the
               threat to peace and security in Abyei arising from the illicit transfer, destabilizing
               accumulation and misuse of small arms and light weapons, welcoming the
               completion of infrastructure, systems, and policy for weapons confiscation, storage
               and destruction, and calling on UNISFA to ensure adequate protection of this
               infrastructure,
                    Expressing concern about the residual threat of landmines and explosive
               remnants of war in the Abyei Area, which hinders the safe return of displaced
               persons to their homes, safe migration, and livelihood activities,
                     Taking note of the 15 April 2016 Secretary-General’s Reports (S/2016/353),
               including the Secretary-General’s call on the parties to renew efforts to addres s the
               issues that have remained unresolved, implement the 20 June 2011 Abyei
               Agreement, and ensure full and permanent withdrawal of all unauthorized forces
               from the Abyei Area,




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                 Recalling that the Security Council welcomed in resolution 2205 (2015) the
           decision of the Secretary-General to appoint a civilian head of mission,
                Recognizing that the current situation in Abyei and along the border between
           the Sudan and South Sudan continues to constitute a serious threat to international
           peace and security,
                 1.    Decides to extend until 15 November 2016 the mandate of the United
           Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) as set out in paragraph 2 of
           resolution 1990 (2011) and modified by resolution 2024 (2011) and paragraph 1 of
           resolution 2075 (2012), and acting under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United
           Nations, further decides to extend until 15 November 2016 the tasks of UNISFA as
           set out in paragraph 3 of resolution 1990 (2011), and determines that for the
           purposes of paragraph 1 of resolution 2024 (2011), support to the operational
           activities of the JBVMM shall include support to the Ad Hoc Committees, as
           appropriate when so requested by consensual decisions of these mechanisms, within
           UNISFA’s operational area and existing capabilities;
                  2.   Takes note of the stated intention by both sides to hold another AJOC
           meeting, regrets the meeting has not yet taken place, and urges the holding of more
           productive meetings to ensure steady progress on the implementation of previous
           AJOC decisions and the 20 June 2011 Agreement, and welcomes African Union
           initiatives to support this goal and encourages its continued engagement, and
           requests the Secretary-General to provide an assessment of progress on these issues
           in his regular reports;
                 3.    Underscores that continued cooperation between the Government of
           Sudan and Government of South Sudan is also critical for peace, security and
           stability and the future relations between them;
                4.    Further reiterates its demand that Sudan and South Sudan urgently
           commence the establishment of the Abyei Area Administration and Council,
           including by resolving the deadlock over the composition of the Council, and
           constitute the Abyei Police Service, to enable it to take over policing functions
           throughout the Abyei Area, including the protection of oil infrastructure, in
           accordance with their commitments in the 20 June 2011 Agreement;
                 5.   Expresses renewed concern regarding the delays and stalled efforts to
           fully operationalize the JBVMM, takes note of the Secretary-General’s benchmarks
           and recommendations regarding JBVMM operations, takes note that continued
           investment in achieving full operational capability of the JBVMM should be based
           on a set of conditions, including resolution of the dispute over the SDBZ,
           resumption of border demarcation discussions, occurrence of regular meetings of
           the JPSM, and granting of full freedom of movement, and calls on both parties to
           demonstrate full commitment to implementation of their border arrangements and
           take the necessary steps to this effect, including by swiftly holding a new meeting of
           the JPSM to take the operational decisions related to their agreement on the SDBZ;
                 6.   Decides to maintain the troops authorized by resolution 2104 (2013)
           already deployed, and that the remaining authorized forces continue to be deployed
           dependent on the evolution of the JBVMM, to enable UNISFA to provide required
           force protection to the JBVMM and to enable UNISFA to fully support the JBVMM
           to conduct extended operations into the SDBZ as soon as possible, and requests the



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               Secretary-General to keep the Council fully updated on the status of deployment as
               part of his regular reporting cycle;
                     7.  Calls upon the Government of Sudan and the Government of South
               Sudan to make timely and effective use of the JBVMM, JPSM and other agreed
               joint mechanisms to ensure the security and transparency of the SDBZ, including
               the “14 Mile Area”;
                     8.    Urges renewed efforts to determine conclusively the SDBZ centreline on
               the ground, and reiterates that the centreline of the SDBZ in no way prejudices the
               current or future legal status of the border, ongoing negotiations on the disputed and
               claimed areas, and demarcation of the borders;
                    9.    Underscores that UNISFA’s protection of civilians mandate as set out in
               paragraph 3 of resolution 1990 (2011) includes taking the necessary actions to
               protect civilians under imminent threat of physical violence, irrespective of the
               source of such violence;
                     10. Condemns the intermittent presence of South Sudan security service
               personnel and the deployment of Diffra Oil Police units in the Abyei Area, in
               violation of the 20 June 2011 agreement, as well as any entry of armed militias into
               the territory, and reiterates its demands that immediately and without preconditions
               the Government of South Sudan fully redeploy its security service personnel from
               the Abyei Area and that the Government of Sudan redeploy the Oil Police in Diffra
               from the Abyei Area, and further reiterates, in accordance with relevant resolutions,
               in particular resolution 1990 (2011) and resolution 2046 (2012), that the Abyei Area
               shall be demilitarized from any forces, as well as armed elements of the local
               communities, other than UNISFA and the Abyei Police Service;
                    11. Supports the AJOC’s 3 May 2013 and 30 March 2015 decisions on
               Abyei’s status as a weapons-free area, underscores the AUPSC’s concern in its
               7 May 2013 Communiqué over reports that various communities living in Abyei are
               heavily armed, recalls that the 20 June 2011 Agreement on Temporary
               Arrangements for the Administration and Security of the Abyei Area stipulates that
               Abyei should be a weapons-free area and that only UNISFA is authorized to carry
               weapons inside the area, and in this regard, urges the two Governments to take all
               necessary steps to ensure that Abyei is effectively demilitarized, including through
               disarmament programs as necessary;
                     12. Reaffirms that UNISFA may undertake weapons confiscation and
               destruction in the Abyei Area as authorized under resolution 1990 (2011), consistent
               with its mandate and within its existing capabilities, in coordination with the
               signatories of the June 2011 Agreement on the Temporary Arrangements for the
               Administration and Security of the Abyei Area, the AJOC, and the Misseriya and
               Ngok Dinka communities and consistent with the previous AJOC decision to
               establish the Area as a “weapons free area”, and reiterates its request that UNISFA,
               observe, document and report on the movement of weapons into Abyei and the
               presence, destruction and confiscation of weapons within Abyei as part of the
               Secretary-General’s regular reporting cycle;
                     13. Requests UNISFA to continue its dialogue with the AJOC and with the
               Misseriya and Ngok Dinka communities on effective strategies and oversight
               mechanisms for ensuring full compliance by all relevant parties with Abyei’s status
               as a weapons-free area, with a particular priority placed on the urgent elimination of


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           heavy or crew-served weapons, as well as rocket-propelled grenades, and calls upon
           the Governments of Sudan and South Sudan, the AJOC, and the Misseriya and Ngok
           Dinka communities to extend full cooperation to UNISFA in this regard;
                14. Urges the two Governments immediately to take steps to implement
           confidence-building measures among the respective communities in the Abyei Area,
           including through reconciliation processes at the grass-roots level and supporting
           UNISFA in promoting community dialogue, welcomes continued engagement
           between the Ngok Dinka and Misseriya communities, and strongly urges all Abyei
           communities to exercise maximum restraint in all their engagements and to desist
           from inflammatory acts or statements that may lead to violent clashes;
                 15. Welcomes UNISFA initiatives, to support community dialogue and efforts
           by the Misseriya and Ngok Dinka communities to strengthen inter -communal
           relationships and facilitate stability and reconciliation in the Abyei Area;
                16. Welcomes UNISFA’s continued efforts, within existing capabilities and
           resources, and in close coordination with the Misseriya and Ngok Dinka
           communities, to strengthen the capacities of Community Protection Committees in
           order to assist with management of law and order processes in Abyei and t o
           continue engaging with both governments on this issue;
                 17. Calls upon all parties to cooperate fully with the findings and
           recommendations following the Abyei Area Joint Investigation and Inquiry
           Committee’s investigation into the killing of a UNISFA pe acekeeper and the Ngok
           Dinka Paramount Chief, welcomes the 24 March 2015 AUPSC press statement
           requesting the AU Commission to engage the parties on the findings and
           recommendations, and reiterates the need to enable the two communities to find
           closure on the assassination of the Ngok Dinka Paramount Chief, bearing in mind
           the need to promote stability and reconciliation in the Abyei Area;
                18. Expresses its intention to review as appropriate the mandate of UNISFA
           for possible reconfiguration of the force in light of the compliance by Sudan and
           South Sudan with the decisions set forth in resolution 2046 (2012) and their
           commitments as set forth in the Agreements of 20 June, 29 June, 30 July 2011 and
           27 September 2012, including the redeployment of all forces from the SDBZ,
           achieving full operational capability for the J BVMM, and the Ad Hoc Committees,
           as well as completing the full demilitarization of the Abyei Area;
                19. Calls upon all Member States, in particular Sudan and South Sudan, to
           ensure the free, unhindered and expeditious movement, to and from Abyei and
           throughout the SDBZ, of all personnel, as well as equipment, provisions, supplies
           and other goods, including vehicles, aircraft, and spare parts, which are for the
           exclusive and official use of UNISFA;
                 20. Renews its call upon the Governments of Sudan and South Sudan to
           provide full support to the United Nations, including by promptly issuing visas to
           military, police and civilian United Nations personnel, including humanitarian
           personnel, without prejudice to their nationality, for entry into Sudan and South
           Sudan, facilitating basing arrangements, infrastructure construction in the Mission
           Area and flight clearances, and providing logistical support, calls upon the
           Governments of Sudan and South Sudan to facilitate travel from within Sudan and
           South Sudan to and from Abyei, and further calls upon all parties to fully adhere to
           their obligations under the Status of Forces Agreements;


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                     21. Recognizes that the absence of development projects and the inability to
               deliver basic government services has had an adverse effect on Abyei populations
               and calls upon the Government of Sudan and the Government of South Sudan, as
               well as donors to support reconstruction and capacity-building;
                     22. Demands that the Government of Sudan and the Government of South
               Sudan continue to facilitate the deployment of the United Nations Mine Action
               Service (UNMAS) to ensure JBVMM freedom of movement, as well as the
               identification and clearance of mines in the Abyei Area and SDB Z;
                     23. Further demands that all parties involved allow all humanitarian
               personnel full, safe and unhindered access to civilians in need of assistance and all
               necessary facilities for their operations, in accordance with international law,
               including applicable international humanitarian law, and United Nations guiding
               principles of humanitarian assistance;
                     24. Strongly urges that all parties cease all forms of violence, human rights
               violations and abuses, violations of international humanitarian law, and v iolations
               and abuses against children in violation of applicable international law;
                     25. Requests the Secretary-General to ensure that effective human rights
               monitoring is carried out, and the results included in his reports to the Council, and
               reiterates its call upon the Government of Sudan and the Government of South
               Sudan to extend their full cooperation to the Secretary-General to this end,
               including by issuing visas to the concerned United Nations personnel;
                    26. Recalls resolution 2272 (2016) and further requests the Secretary-General to take the necessary measures to ensure full compliance of UNISFA with
               the United Nations zero tolerance policy on sexual exploitation and abuse and to
               keep the Council fully informed through his regular country -specific reports to the
               Council about UNISFA’s progress in this regard, including with respect to the
               implementation of resolution 2272 (2016);
                     27. Requests the Secretary-General to continue to inform the Council of
               progress in implementing UNISFA’s mandate in one written report, no later than
               15 October 2016, and continue to bring to the Council’s immediate attention any
               serious violations of the above referenced Agreements;
                    28. Notes the Secretary-General’s efforts to ensure close cooperation among
               United Nations missions in the region, including UNISFA, the United Nations
               Mission in the Republic of South Sudan (UNMISS), and the African Union -United
               Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID), as well as his Special Envoy for
               Sudan and South Sudan, and requests that he continue this practice;
                    29.   Decides to remain actively seized of this matter.




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