Security Council resolution 2230 (2015) [on extension of the mandate of the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) until 15 Dec. 2015)]
Symbol: S/RES/2230 (2015)
Date: 2015-07-14
Status: adopted
Agenda: S/70 [217] UN INTERIM SECURITY FORCE FOR ABYEI
S/70 [160] SUDAN--POLITICAL CONDITIONS
S/70 [223] SOUTH SUDAN--POLITICAL CONDITIONS
Subjects: UN Interim Security Force for Abyei|Joint Border Verification Monitoring Mechanism (Sudan and South Sudan)|Abyei Joint Oversight Committee|UN. Mine Action Service|UN Mission in South Sudan|AU/UN Hybrid Operation in Darfur|Charter of the United Nations (1945). Chapter VII|INTERNAL SECURITY|PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS|BOUNDARIES|DEMILITARIZED ZONES|MINE CLEARANCE|ABYEI (SUDAN)|SUDAN|SOUTH SUDAN|MILITARY PERSONNEL|POLICE|RELIEF PERSONNEL|HUMAN RIGHTS MONITORING|GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE|COORDINATION WITHIN UN SYSTEM
Votes in favour: 15
Votes against: 0
Abstentions: 0
Voting record:
country: ANGOLA
vote: yes
country: CHAD
vote: yes
country: CHILE
vote: yes
country: CHINA
vote: yes
country: FRANCE
vote: yes
country: JORDAN
vote: yes
country: LITHUANIA
vote: yes
country: MALAYSIA
vote: yes
country: NEW ZEALAND
vote: yes
country: NIGERIA
vote: yes
country: RUSSIAN FEDERATION
vote: yes
country: SPAIN
vote: yes
country: UNITED KINGDOM
vote: yes
country: UNITED STATES
vote: yes
country: VENEZUELA (BOLIVARIAN REPUBLIC OF)
vote: yes

               United Nations                                                                       S/RES/2230 (2015)
               Security Council                                                   Distr.: General
                                                                                  14 July 2015




               Resolution 2230 (2015)
               Adopted by the Security Council at its 7483rd meeting, on
               14 July 2015

                    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) and 2205 (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 and 11 December 2014,
                     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 Sudan in Addis Ababa under the
               auspices of the African Union High-level Implementation Panel (AUHIP),



15-11931 (E)
*1511931*

S/RES/2230 (2015)


                    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 and 12 September 2014; 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 24 June 2015 Statement 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) and 2122 (2013 ) on
               women peace and security,
                     Stressing the need for effective human rights monitoring, including of any
               sexual and gender-based violence and violations and abuses committed against
               women and children, taking note that there 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 impor tance, 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) will only be
               dismantled through dedicated commitment to women’s empowerment, participation,
               and human rights, and through concerted leadership, consistent information and
               action, and support, to build women’s engagement in all levels of decision-making,
                     Noting with concern the minimum attention the parties have given to the
               management of the Abyei Area as well as the stalled efforts by the Government of
               Sudan and the Government of South Sudan to delineate or agree on the coordinates
               of, and demilitarize the Safe Demilitarized Border Zone (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, including as a result of the
               temporary unavailability of aircraft, South Sudan’s continued disagreement with the
               location of the SDBZ centreline and the denial of flight clearance s,
                   Underlining the importance of fully establishing and maintaining effective
               JBVMM monitoring of the SDBZ, including the “14 Mile Area”,
                    Recognizing the importance of regular meetings between President Bashir and
               President Salva Kiir for continuing dialogue, 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, calling upon all parties to engage constructively in the



2/8                                                                                                     15-11931

                                                                                               S/RES/2230 (2015)


           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 o f peaceful migration throughout the
           Abyei Area, conflict prevention, mediation and deterrence, expressing its deep
           appreciation for the work of the troop-contributing countries, strongly condemning
           the attacks on United Nations personnel, and calling for investigations of these
           attacks in a swift and thorough manner and to hold those responsible to account,
                Underscoring concern for the fragility of the security situation in the Abyei
           Area, 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,
                 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,
                 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,
                 Bearing in mind the current humanitarian situation in which humanitarian
           actors continue to provide assistance to approximately 81,000 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,




15-11931                                                                                                    3/8

S/RES/2230 (2015)


                     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 concern at t he
               threat to peace and security in Abyei arising from the illicit transfer, destabilizing
               accumulation and misuse of small arms and light weapons, and in this regard,
               welcoming UNISFA’s progress on improving infrastructure and systems for weapons
               confiscation, storage and destruction,
                    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 and safe migration,
                     Taking note of the 29 April 2015 and 16 June 2015 Secretary-General’s
               Reports (S/2015/302 and S/2015/439), including the assessment that the political
               and security situation on the ground is relatively calm but unpredictable, and
               requires dialogue and cooperation to prevent it becoming more contentious,
               divisive, and destabilizing in the coming months, and the recommendations
               contained therein,
                    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 December 2015 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 Unite d
               Nations, further decides to extend until 15 December 2015 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 recommendations in the 16 June 2015 Secretary-General’s report, and welcomes the UNISFA initiatives to support community
               dialogue and administration by the communities under Abyei Joint Oversight
               Committee (AJOC) supervision; in this regard, calls upon the communities and the
               Governments of Sudan and South Sudan to take concrete steps towards those goals;
               and further welcomes the current and future support in these efforts from the United
               Nations, African Union and Government of the Federal Democratic Republic of
               Ethiopia;
                     3.    Underscores that continued cooperation between the Government of
               Sudan and the Government of South Sudan is also critical for peace, security and
               stability and the future relations between them;
                    4.   Welcomes the resumption of the work of the AJOC by Sudan and South
               Sudan in March 2015, and urges the resumption of regular meetings to ensure
               steady progress on the implementation of the 20 June 2011 Agreement, including



4/8                                                                                                     15-11931

                                                                                                 S/RES/2230 (2015)


           the implementation of the AJOC decisions, 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;
                5.    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 infrastr ucture, in
           accordance with their commitments in the 20 June 2011 Agreement;
                 6.    Decides to maintain the troops authorized by resolution 2104 (2013)
           already deployed, and that the remaining authorized forces continue to be deployed
           consistent with 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
           Secretary-General to keep the Council fully updated on the status of deployment as
           part of his regular reporting cycle;
                 7.   Takes notes of the establishment of JBVMM initial operating capability,
           expresses renewed concern regarding the stalled efforts to fully operationalize
           JBVMM, welcomes the Secretary-General’s May 2015 technical assessment of
           JBVMM, takes note of the Secretary-General’s recommendations that continued
           investment in achieving full operational capability of JBVMM should be based on a
           set of conditions, including resolution of the dispute over SDBZ, resumption of border
           demarcation discussions, occurrence of regular meetings of the JPSM, and granting of
           full freedom of movement, and expresses its intention to consider the Secretary-General’s final recommendations regarding JBVMM operations to be presented in his
           next report;
                 8.  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”;
                 9.    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 ne gotiations on the disputed and
           claimed areas, and demarcation of the borders;
                10. 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;
                 11. Condemns the intermittent presence of South Sudan security service
           personnel and the deployment of Diffra Oil Police units in the Abyei Area, as well
           as the repeated entry of armed militias into the territory, and reiterates its demands
           that immediately and without preconditions the Government of South Sudan full
           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


15-11931                                                                                                      5/8

S/RES/2230 (2015)


               from any forces, as well as armed elements of the local communities, other than
               UNISFA and the Abyei Police Service;
                    12. 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;
                     13. 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 Temporar y 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;
                     14. Requests UNISFA to continue its dialogue with 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 eliminatio n of
               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;
                    15. 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, urges the planned convening of a
               meeting between the Ngok Dinka and Misseriya traditional leaders, 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,
               or any further unilateral activities;
                     16. Requests UNISFA, within its existing capabilities and resources and in
               close coordination with the Misseriya and Ngok Dinka communities, to intensify
               efforts to strengthen the capacities of Community Protection Committees in order to
               assist with management of law and order processes in Abyei;
                    17. Calls upon all parties to cooperate fully with the findings and
               recommendations following the Abyei Area Joint Investigation and Inquiry
               Committee’s (AAJIIC’s) investigation into the killing of a UNISFA peacekeeper 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




6/8                                                                                                      15-11931

                                                                                                S/RES/2230 (2015)


           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 JVBMM, 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;
                 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 SDBZ;
                 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 violations
           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. Requests the Secretary-General to take the necessary measures to ensure
           full compliance of UNISFA with the United Nations zero tolerance policy on sexual


15-11931                                                                                                     7/8

S/RES/2230 (2015)


               exploitation and abuse and to keep the Council informed if cases of such conduct
               occur;
                     27. Requests the Secretary-General to continue to inform the Council of
               progress in implementing UNISFA’s mandate in two written reports, no later than
               15 September 2015 and 15 November 2015 respectively, and continue to bring to
               the Council’s immediate attention any serious violations of the above referenced
               Agreements, including on fulfilment of the conditions set out in paragraph 7 of this
               resolution regarding the JBVMM;
                    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.




8/8                                                                                                   15-11931