Security Council resolution 1979 (2011) [on extension of the mandate of the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) until 30 Apr. 2012]
Symbol: S/RES/1979(2011)
Date: 2011-04-27
Status: adopted
Agenda: S/66 [45] UN MISSION FOR THE REFERENDUM IN WESTERN SAHARA
S/66 [44] WESTERN SAHARA QUESTION
Subjects: UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara|UN. Personal Envoy of the Secretary-General for Western Sahara|PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS|CONFIDENCE-BUILDING MEASURES|NEGOTIATION|WESTERN SAHARA|WESTERN SAHARA QUESTION|SELF-DETERMINATION OF PEOPLES|CEASEFIRES|BUDGET CONTRIBUTIONS|FAMILY VISITS|SEX CRIMES|TROOP-CONTRIBUTING STATES|TRAINING PROGRAMMES|PLEBISCITES
Votes in favour: 15
Votes against: 0
Abstentions: 0
Voting record:
country: BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA
vote: yes
country: BRAZIL
vote: yes
country: CHINA
vote: yes
country: COLOMBIA
vote: yes
country: FRANCE
vote: yes
country: GABON
vote: yes
country: GERMANY
vote: yes
country: INDIA
vote: yes
country: LEBANON
vote: yes
country: NIGERIA
vote: yes
country: PORTUGAL
vote: yes
country: RUSSIAN FEDERATION
vote: yes
country: SOUTH AFRICA
vote: yes
country: UNITED KINGDOM
vote: yes
country: UNITED STATES
vote: yes

               United Nations                                                                       S/RES/1979 (2011)
               Security Council                                                   Distr.: General
                                                                                  27 April 2011




               Resolution 1979 (2011)
               Adopted by the Security Council at its 6523rd meeting,
               on 27 April 2011

                    The Security Council,
                    Recalling and reaffirming all its previous resolutions on Western Sahara,
                    Reaffirming its strong support for the efforts of the Secretary-General and his
               Personal Envoy to implement resolutions 1754 (2007), 1783 (2007), 1813 (2008),
               1871 (2009) and 1920 (2010),
                     Reaffirming its commitment to assist the parties to achieve a just, lasting, and
               mutually acceptable political solution, which will provide for the self-determination of
               the people of Western Sahara in the context of arrangements consistent with the
               principles and purposes of the Charter of the United Nations, and noting the role and
               responsibilities of the parties in this respect,
                     Reiterating its call upon the parties and States of the region to cooperate more
               fully with the United Nations and with each other and to strengthen their involvement
               to end the current impasse and to achieve progress towards a political solution,
                    Welcoming the efforts of the Secretary-General to keep all peacekeeping
               operations, including MINURSO, under close review and reiterating the need for the
               Council to pursue a rigorous, strategic approach to peacekeeping deployments,
                    Expressing serious concern about the increase in violations of existing
               agreements and calling on the parties to respect their relevant obligations,
                    Taking note of the Moroccan proposal presented on 11 April 2007 to the
               Secretary-General and welcoming serious and credible Moroccan efforts to move the
               process forward towards resolution; also taking note of the Polisario Front proposal
               presented 10 April 2007 to the Secretary-General,
                     Inviting in this context the parties to demonstrate further political will towards a
               solution including by expanding upon their discussion of each other’s proposals,
                     Taking note of the four rounds of negotiations held under the auspices of the
               Secretary-General, and the continued rounds of informal talks in Manhasset (United
               States), and Mellieha (Malta), and welcoming the progress made by the parties to enter
               into direct negotiations,



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                    Welcoming the parties’ agreement to explore innovative negotiating approaches
               and discrete subjects,
                     Stressing the importance of improving the human rights situation in Western
               Sahara and the Tindouf camps, and encouraging the parties to work with the
               international community to develop and implement independent and credible
               measures to ensure full respect for human rights, bearing in mind their relevant
               obligations under international law,
                    Welcoming the establishment of a National Council on Human Rights in
               Morocco and the proposed component regarding Western Sahara, and the commitment
               of Morocco to ensure unqualified and unimpeded access to all Special Procedures of
               the United Nations Human Rights Council,
                    Also welcoming the implementation of the enhanced refugee protection program
               developed by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in
               coordination with the Polisario Front, which will include human rights training and
               awareness initiatives,
                    Requesting UNHCR to maintain its consideration of a refugee registration in the
               Tindouf refugee camps,
                    Welcoming the agreement of the parties expressed in the Communiqué of the
               Personal Envoy of the Secretary-General for Western Sahara of 18 March 2008 and
               looking forward to the inauguration of family visits by land and the continuation of
               the existing programme by air, and encouraging the parties to cooperate with the
               United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in implementing their agreement,
                    Welcoming the commitment of the parties to continue the process of negotiations
               through the United Nations-sponsored talks,
                    Recognizing that the consolidation of the status quo is not acceptable in the long
               term, and noting further that progress in the negotiations is essential in order to
               improve the quality of life of the people of Western Sahara in all its aspects,
                    Affirming support for the Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy for Western
               Sahara Ambassador Christopher Ross, and his work in facilitating negotiations
               between the parties also welcoming his ongoing consultations with the parties and
               neighbouring states,
                    Affirming support for the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for
               Western Sahara and Head of MINURSO Hany Abdel-aziz,
                    Having considered the report of the Secretary-General of 15 April 2011
               (S/2011/249),
                    1.     Reaffirms the need for full respect of the military agreements reached with
               the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) with
               regard to the ceasefire and calls on the parties to adhere fully to those agreements;
                     2.    Calls on all parties to cooperate fully with the operations of MINURSO
               and to ensure the security of as well as unhindered and immediate access for the
               United Nations and associated personnel in carrying out their mandate, in conformity
               with existing agreements;
                    3.    Welcomes the parties’ commitment to continue the process of holding
               small, informal talks in preparation for a fifth round of negotiations, and recalls its


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           endorsement of the recommendation in the report of 14 April 2008 (S/2008/251) that
           realism and a spirit of compromise by the parties are essential to achieve progress in
           negotiations;
                4.    Calls upon the parties to continue to show political will and work in an
           atmosphere propitious for dialogue in order to enter into a more intensive and
           substantive phase of negotiations, thus ensuring implementation of resolutions 1754
           (2007), 1783 (2007), 1813 (2008), 1871 (2009) and 1920 (2010) and the success of
           negotiations, inter alia, by devoting attention to the ideas in paragraph 120 of the
           Secretary-General’s report (S/2011/249);
                5.    Affirms its strong support for the commitment of the Secretary-General and
           his Personal Envoy towards a solution to the question of Western Sahara in this
           context and welcomes the intensified pace of meetings and contacts;
                 6.    Calls upon the parties to continue negotiations under the auspices of the
           Secretary-General without preconditions and in good faith, taking into account the
           efforts made since 2006 and subsequent developments, with a view to achieving a
           just, lasting, and mutually acceptable political solution, which will provide for the
           self-determination of the people of Western Sahara in the context of arrangements
           consistent with the principles and purposes of the Charter of the United Nations, and
           noting the role and responsibilities of the parties in this respect;
                7.    Invites Member States to lend appropriate assistance to these talks;
                8.    Requests the Secretary-General to keep the Security Council informed on a
           regular basis, and at least twice a year, on the status and progress of these negotiations
           under his auspices and express its intention to meet to receive and discuss his report;
                9.   Requests the Secretary-General to provide a report on the situation in
           Western Sahara well before the end of the mandate period;
                10. Welcomes the commitment of the parties and the neighbouring states to
           hold periodic meetings with the Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees to
           review and, where possible, expand confidence-building measures;
                11. Urges Member States to provide voluntary contributions to fund
           confidence-building measures that allow for increased contact between separated
           family members, especially family visits, as well as for other confidence-building
           measures that may be agreed upon between parties;
                 12. Requests the Secretary-General in his next report to examine the existing
           challenges to MINURSO’s operations, reflecting on the situation on the ground;
                13.   Decides to extend the mandate of MINURSO until 30 April 2012;
                 14. Requests the Secretary-General to continue to take the necessary measures
           to ensure full compliance in MINURSO with the United Nations zero-tolerance policy
           on sexual exploitation and abuse and to keep the Council informed, and urges
           troop-contributing countries to take appropriate preventive action including
           predeployment awareness training, and other action to ensure full accountability in
           cases of such conduct involving their personnel;
                15.   Decides to remain seized of the matter.




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