Security Council resolution 2497 (2019) [on extension of the mandate of the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) until 15 May 2020]
Symbol: S/RES/2497 (2019)
Date: 2019-11-14
Status: adopted
Agenda: S/74 [217] UN INTERIM SECURITY FORCE FOR ABYEI
S/74 [160] SUDAN--POLITICAL CONDITIONS
S/74 [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|UN Interim Security Force for Abyei. Deputy Head of Mission|Joint Border Verification Monitoring Mechanism (Sudan and South Sudan)|Charter of the United Nations (1945). Chapter VII|PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS|DEMILITARIZED ZONES|PROTECTION OF CIVILIANS IN PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS|ABYEI (SUDAN)|SUDAN|SOUTH SUDAN
Votes in favour: 15
Votes against: 0
Abstentions: 0
Voting record:
country: BELGIUM
vote: yes
country: CHINA
vote: yes
country: CÔTE D'IVOIRE
vote: yes
country: DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
vote: yes
country: EQUATORIAL GUINEA
vote: yes
country: FRANCE
vote: yes
country: GERMANY
vote: yes
country: INDONESIA
vote: yes
country: KUWAIT
vote: yes
country: PERU
vote: yes
country: POLAND
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/2497 (2019)
               Security Council                                                   Distr.: General
                                                                                  14 November 2019




               Resolution 2497 (2019)
               Adopted by the Security Council at its 8663rd meeting, on
               14 November 2019

                    The Security Council,
                     Reaffirming all previous resolutions and Presidential statements concerning the
               situation in Abyei and along the border between Sudan and South Sudan and
               underlining the importance of full compliance with and implementation of these,
                      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,
                     Underscoring that continued cooperation between the Government of the
               Republic of the Sudan and Government of the Republic of South Sudan is critical for
               peace, security and stability and the future relations between them, encouraging
               progress on improving bilateral relations and holding regular meetings of the Joint
               Political and Security Mechanism (JPSM) and other joint mechanisms, and calling on
               both governments to implement prior agreements,
                    Commending the continued assistance provided to the parties by the African
               Union (AU), the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, the Federal
               Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, the Special Envoy of the Secretary -General for the
               Horn of Africa, and the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA),
                    Acknowledging that over the course of the eight years since establishment of
               UNISFA the mission has contributed towards the stabilization and demilitarization of
               the Abyei Area and together with the Joint Border Verification and Monitoring
               Mechanism (JBVMM) played a stabilizing role along the borders between South
               Sudan and Sudan, and taking note of the need to reconfigure the mission to create the
               space for a viable political process that would also serve as an exit strategy,




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                    Underlining that over the course of eight years the Government of Sudan and
               the Government of South Sudan have not made meaningful progress on the political
               process including failure to establish joint institutions in Abyei,
                    Expressing concern that the delayed full deployment of UN police to the level
               authorized by the Council prevents UNISFA from fulfilling its security mandate and
               holds the potential to create a security vacuum in Abyei, and further expressing
               concern about Sudan and South Sudan’s efforts to impede UNISFA from fully
               executing its mandate, including by withholding visas for police, blocking
               appointment of a civilian Deputy Head of Mission and denying access to Athony
               airport, which would ease UNISFA’s logistical challenges, reduce transport costs, and
               enhance safety and security for UNISFA personnel,
                     Commending the efforts of UNISFA, notwithstanding the impediments referred
               to in the previous paragraph, in its attempts to carry out its mandate effectively,
               including by its ongoing facilitation of peaceful migration throughout the Abyei Ar ea,
               conflict prevention, mediation and deterrence, and strongly underscoring the
               unacceptability of any attack on United Nations personnel, and reiterating that such
               attacks, which may constitute a war crime, should be swiftly and thoroughly
               investigated, and that those responsible should be held to account,
                    Recalling that the Secretary-General’s October 2019 Report on the situation in
               Abyei (S/2019/817) highlights the need for a UNISFA civilian Deputy Head of
               Mission,
                     Bearing in mind that people in the Abyei Area continue to rely on humanitarian
               assistance, recalling that floods in October 2019 displaced approximately 40,000
               people, that access for humanitarian organizations to reach people in need remains of
               crucial importance, and that humanitarian actors continue to provide assistance to
               182,000 people in the Abyei Area,
                     Recalling resolutions 1325 (2000) and subsequent resolutions on women, peace,
               and security and emphasizing that persistent barriers to full implementation of these
               resolutions 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,
                    Recognizing that the current situation in Abyei and along the border between
               Sudan and South Sudan continues to constitute a threat to international peace and
               security,
                     1.    Decides to extend until 15 May 2020 the mandate of UNISFA as set out in
               paragraph 2 of resolution 1990 (2011) and acting under Chapter VII of the Charter of
               the United Nations, further decides to extend until 15 May 2020 the tasks of UNISFA
               as set out in paragraph 3 of resolution 1990 (2011);
                     2.   Decides to extend until 15 May 2020 UNISFA’s mandate modification set
               forth in resolution 2024 (2011) and paragraph 1 of resolution 2075 (2012), which
               provides for UNISFA’s support to the Joint Border Verification and Monitoring
               Mechanism (JBVMM), and further decides that this shall be the final such extension
               unless the parties take the specific measures described in paragraph 3;
                    3.    Determines that both parties should continue to demonstrate measurable
               progress on border demarcation, specifically by taking the measures listed below:
                          (1) UNISFA and JBVMM Patrols: Maintain standing clearance and
                          achieve full freedom of movement for all air and ground patrols,
                          (2) JBVMM Team Sites: Support to establish and operate a fourth team
                          site in Abu Qussa/Wunkur,


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                      (3) JPSM: Convene two meetings of the Joint Political Security
                      Mechanism (JPSM) that provide clear guidance to JBVMM, and ensure
                      conclusions of meetings are widely disseminated,
                      (4) Safe Demilitarized Border Zone (SDBZ): Immediately withdraw
                      from the SDBZ as both parties committed to do in the 18 March 2019
                      JPSM, and to provide notification of such withdrawal to UNISFA for
                      UNISFA verification,
                      (5) Border Crossing Corridors: Immediately open the remaining border
                      crossing corridors per the resolutions of the 18 March 2019 JPSM, and
                      together with UNISFA verify their functioning and free movement across
                      the border,
                      (6) Border Demarcation: Hold two meetings of the Joint Demarcation
                      Committee, develop a detailed work plan and budget for demarcation
                      discussions, including negotiations on the disputed areas within the
                      framework of the signed agreements,
                      (7) National Monitors: Maintain deployment of national monitors to
                      participate in JBVMM operational activities;
                4.  Maintains the authorized troop ceiling at 3,550, and decides to allow
           postponement in the withdrawal of 295 troops above the authorized troop ceiling until
           15 May 2020;
                5.    Maintains the authorized police ceiling at 640 police personnel, including
           148 individual police officers and three formed police units, requests the United
           Nations to take necessary steps to deploy additional police sequentially in order to
           meet the authorized police ceiling of 640, and expresses its intention to reduce the
           authorized police ceiling as the Abyei Police Service is gradually established and
           providing effective law enforcement throughout the Abyei area;
                 6.   Requests the Secretary-General to appoint a civilian Deputy Head of
           Mission for UNISFA and add additional civilian staff within existing resources to
           further facilitate liaison between and engagement with the parties in a manner
           consistent with the Agreement on Temporary Arrangements for the Administration
           and Security of the Abyei Area of June 2011, including agreement to establish the
           Abyei Police Service;
                 7.     Demands that the Governments of Sudan and South Sudan provide full
           support to UNISFA in the deployment of UNISFA personnel, includin g by promptly
           issuing visas without prejudice of their nationalities, and expresses its serious concern
           that the Government of Sudan has not issued visas promptly to support personnel
           critical for the mandate of UNISFA, including police;
                 8.    Urges that the Governments of Sudan and South Sudan facilitate basing
           arrangements for UNISFA in the Mission area including Athony airport, and provide
           necessary flight clearances, and notes that the utilization of Athony airport will reduce
           UNISFA’s transport costs and logistical challenges, facilitate MEDEVAC, official
           travel and air cargo needs for the Mission, increase humanitarian access, and enhance
           safety and security for UNISFA personnel, and further calls upon all parties to fully
           adhere to their obligations under the Status of Forces Agreements;
                9.    Expresses disappointment that the parties have obstructed full
           implementation of UNISFA’s mandate and taken few steps to implement the
           Agreement on Temporary Arrangements for the Administration and Security of the
           Abyei Area and to achieve a political resolution to the status of Abyei, and requests
           the Secretary-General consult with the parties and the African Union related to:


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                          1.   Steps Sudan and South Sudan are taking to enable UNISFA to fully
                          execute its mandate,
                          2.    The state of engagement by the African Union and African Union
                          High-Level Implementation Panel (AUHIP) on political mediation of the
                          Abyei dispute and Sudan and South Sudan border issues, and provide
                          recommendations on the most appropriate framework, structure or
                          organizational mandate for the region to provide support to the parties that
                          will enable further progress in these areas,
                          3.   Enhancing the role played by the Special Envoy for the Horn of
                          Africa to support the African Union and help the parties to establish
                          temporary administrative and security arrangements for Abyei and to
                          achieve a political solution to the status of Abyei;
                     10. Urges continued progress towards the establishment of the Abyei Area
               interim institutions, in accordance with the Agreement on Temporary Administrative
               and Security Arrangements for the Abyei Area of June 2011, takes note that UNISFA
               continues to be the only entity providing policing services, demands that the
               Governments of Sudan and South Sudan participate in joint planning toward the
               establishment of the Abyei Police Service, and requests that both parties, including in
               particular South Sudan, participate in developing a roadmap on the establishment of
               the Abyei Police Service by May 2020 with support from UNISFA;
                     11. Encourages the African Union, AUHIP, and the Special Envoy of the
               Secretary-General to continue coordinating efforts to facilitate full implementation of
               the 2011 agreements, and further encourages UNISFA to coordinate with the African
               Union, AUHIP and the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General on reconciliation,
               community sensitization, and political peace processes;
                    12. Welcomes renewed efforts to determine conclusively the Safe
               Demilitarized Border Zone (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;
                     13. 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, and in that regard underlines that peacekeepers are authorized to use
               all necessary means, which includes the use of force when required, in order to protect
               civilians under threat of physical violence, in accordance with mission mandates, the
               United Nations Charter and other applicable international law, and stresses the
               importance of continued and further engagement by senior mission leadership, with
               a view to ensuring that all mission components and all levels of the chain of command
               are properly informed of, trained for, and involved in the mission ’s protection of
               civilians mandate and their relevant responsibilities; and commending UNISFA ’s
               efforts in that regard;
                      14. 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



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           shall be demilitarized from any forces, as well as armed elements of the local
           communities, other than UNISFA and the Abyei Police Service;
                15. Urges the two governments to take all necessary steps to ensure that Abyei
           is effectively demilitarized, including through disarmament programmes as
           necessary;
                 16. 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”, calls upon the Governments of Sudan and South
           Sudan, the AJOC, and the Misseriya and Ngok Dinka communities and all other
           groups to extend full cooperation to UNISFA in this regard;
                17. Welcomes UNISFA initiatives to support community dialogue and efforts
           by the Misseriya, Ngok Dinka, and all other communities, such as local peace
           committees, to strengthen intercommunal relationships and facilitate stability and
           reconciliation in the Abyei Area, and invites UNISFA to coordinate with the Jubaappointed administration in Abyei and the Misseriya administration in Muglad, using
           appropriate civilian expertise, to maintain stability, foster intercommunal
           reconciliation, and facilitate the return of displaced persons to their villages and the
           delivery of services;
                 18. Urges the two Governments immediately to take steps to implement
           confidence-building measures among the respective communities in the Abyei Area,
           ensuring the full, effective, and meaningful participation of women, regardless of area
           of origin, at all stages, including through reconciliation processes at the grass-roots
           level as well as through ongoing efforts of non-governmental organizations and by
           fully supporting UNISFA’s efforts in promoting community dialogue;
                 19. Expresses concern that women remain absent from the leadership of local
           peace committees, calls upon all parties to promote the full, effective, and meaningful
           participation of women, including at all levels of intercommunity dialogue, to ensure
           a credible, and legitimate process, and welcomes and encourages UNISFA’s efforts
           to integrate women into peace discussions;
                 20. 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, while ensuring the humane
           and dignified treatment of suspects and other detainees, and to continue engaging
           with both governments on this issue;
                 21. 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 peacekeeper and the Ngok
           Dinka Paramount Chief, following the release of findings by the AU Commission,
           welcomes the 24 March 2015 AUPSC press statement requesting the AU Commission
           to engage the parties on the findings and recommendations, and looks forward to the
           release of the African Union Commission’s report on the killing of the Ngok Dinka
           chief, as agreed to by the traditional leaders, and for the report to be used as a basis
           for reconciliation between the communities, bearing in mind the need to promote
           stability and reconciliation in the Abyei Area;
                22. Calls upon all Member States, in particular Sudan and South Sudan, to
           ensure the free, unhindered and expeditious movement, to and from Abyei and

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               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;
                     23. 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 consistent with United Nations guiding
               principles of humanitarian assistance;
                     24. Welcomes the Abyei UN Joint Programme Initiative supported by the
               Sudan and South Sudan UN Country Teams, particularly given recent flooding and
               resulting forced human displacements;
                    25. Encourages the Government of Sudan and the Government of South Sudan
               to continue to facilitate the deployment of the United Nations Mine Action Service
               (UNMAS) to ensure freedom of movement, as well as the identification and clearance
               of mines in the Abyei Area and SDBZ;
                     26. Strongly urges that all parties cease all forms of violence, human rights
               violations and abuses, violations of international humanitarian law, and violations of
               other international law, as applicable committed against civilians, including women
               and children, and bring perpetrators of such abuses or violations to justice;
                     27. Requests the Secretary-General to ensure that effective monitoring of
               violations and abuses of human rights is carried out, including of sexual and gender -
               based violence and other violations and abuses committed against women and
               children, 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;
                     28. Requests the Secretary-General to seek to increase the number of women
               in UNISFA in line with resolution 2242, and ensure the full, effective and meaningful
               participation of women in all aspects of operations, to implement a gender
               mainstreaming plan in line with resolution 1325, and calls upon UNISFA to sustain
               adequate expertise on women and child protection;
                     29. Welcomes the initiatives undertaken by the Secretary-General to
               standardise a culture of performance in UN peacekeeping, recalls its requests in
               resolution 2378 (2017) and resolution 2436 (2018) that the Secretary-General ensure
               that performance data related to the effectiveness of peacekeeping operations is used
               to improve mission operations, including decisions such as those regarding
               deployment, remediation, repatriation and incentives, and reaffirms its support for the
               development of a comprehensive and integrated performance policy framework that
               identifies clear standards of performance for evaluating all United Nations civilian
               and uniformed personnel working in and supporting peacekeeping operations that
               facilitates effective and full implementation of mandates, and includes comprehensive
               and objective methodologies based on clear and well-defined benchmarks to ensure
               accountability for underperformance and incentives and recognition for outstanding
               performance, and calls on the United Nations to apply this framework to UNISFA as
               described in resolution 2436 (2018);
                     30. Requests the Secretary-General to continue to take necessary measures to
               ensure full compliance of all personnel in UNISFA with the United Nations zero -
               tolerance policy on sexual exploitation and abuse and to keep th e Council fully
               informed about the Mission’s progress in this regard, and urges troop- and policecontributing countries to take appropriate preventative action including vetting of all
               personnel, pre-deployment and in-mission awareness training, timely investigations
               of allegations, as appropriate, and to take appropriate steps to hold perpetrators

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           accountable and repatriate units when there is credible evidence of widespread or
           systematic sexual exploitation and abuse by those units;
                31. 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 the
           Horn of Africa;

           Reporting
                 32. Requests the Secretary-General to inform it of progress in implementing
           UNISFA’s mandate, in a note, no later than 31 January 2020 and report on progress
           with the increase in police, appointment of a civilian Deputy Head of Mission,
           planning for the reduction of troops, usage of Athony airport, and the issuance of visas
           to support implementation of the mandate;
                33. Requests the Secretary-General to continue to inform it of progress in
           implementing UNISFA’s mandate, in one written report, no later than 15 April 202 0
           and include reporting on:
               • the state of engagement by the African Union and AUHIP on political mediation
                 of the Abyei dispute and Sudan and South Sudan border issues, and
                 recommendations on the most appropriate framework, structure or
                 organizational mandate for the region to provide support to the parties that will
                 enable further progress in these areas,
               • the efforts deployed by the Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa to support the
                 African Union and help the parties to establish temporary administra tive and
                 security arrangements for Abyei and to achieve a political solution to the status
                 of Abyei,
               • progress in implementing any steps taken per paragraph 3,
               • progress with the reduction of troops, increase in police, appointment of a
                 civilian Deputy Head of Mission, usage of Athony airport, and the issuance of
                 visas to support implementation of the mandate,
               • the opening of Athony airport in line with paragraph 8,
               • results of human rights monitoring as requested in paragraph 27, including
                 information, analysis, and data on violations and abuses of human rights,
               • steps that have been taken in line with paragraphs 27 and 28,
               • a summary of actions taken to improve mission performance and address
                 performance challenges including lapses in leadership, national caveats that
                 negatively affect mandate implementation effectiveness, and demanding
                 operational environments;
                34.    Decides to remain actively seized of this matter.




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