Security Council resolution 1871 (2009) [on extension of the mandate of the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO)]
Symbol: S/RES/1871(2009)
Date: 2009-04-30
Status: adopted
Agenda: S/64 [44] WESTERN SAHARA QUESTION
S/64 [45] UN MISSION FOR THE REFERENDUM IN WESTERN SAHARA
Subjects: UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara|UN. Personal Envoy of the Secretary-General for Western Sahara|Charter of the United Nations (1945)|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: AUSTRIA
vote: yes
country: BURKINA FASO
vote: yes
country: CHINA
vote: yes
country: COSTA RICA
vote: yes
country: CROATIA
vote: yes
country: FRANCE
vote: yes
country: JAPAN
vote: yes
country: LIBYAN ARAB JAMAHIRIYA
vote: yes
country: MEXICO
vote: yes
country: RUSSIAN FEDERATION
vote: yes
country: TURKEY
vote: yes
country: UGANDA
vote: yes
country: UNITED KINGDOM
vote: yes
country: UNITED STATES
vote: yes
country: VIET NAM
vote: yes

               United Nations                                                                     S/RES/1871 (2009)
               Security Council                                                 Distr.: General
                                                                                30 April 2009




               Resolution 1871 (2009)
               Adopted by the Security Council at its 6117th meeting,
               on 30 April 2009

                    The Security Council,
                    Recalling 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) and 1813
               (2008),
                     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 continue to
               cooperate fully with the United Nations and with each other to end the current
               impasse and to achieve progress towards a political solution,
                    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,
                     Taking note of the four rounds of negotiations held under the auspices of the
               Secretary-General, and welcoming the progress made by the parties to enter into
               direct negotiations,
                     Stressing the importance of making progress on the human dimension of the
               conflict as a means to promote transparency and mutual confidence through
               constructive dialogue and humanitarian confidence-building measures,
                    Welcoming in this context the agreement of the parties expressed in the
               Communiqué of the Personal Envoy of the Secretary-General for Western Sahara of
               18 March 2008 to explore the establishment of family visits by land, which would
               be in addition to the existing programme by air, and encouraging them to do so in
               cooperation with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees,




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                    Welcoming the commitment of the parties to continue the process of
               negotiations through United Nations-sponsored talks,
                     Noting the Secretary-General’s view that the consolidation of the status quo is
               not an acceptable outcome of the current process of negotiations, and noting further
               that progress in the negotiations will have a positive impact on the quality of life of
               the people of Western Sahara in all its aspects,
                     Welcoming the appointment of the Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy for
               Western Sahara Ambassador Christopher Ross, and also welcoming his recent visit
               to the region and ongoing consultations with the parties,
                    Having considered the report of the Secretary-General of 13 April 2009
               (S/2009/200),
                    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;
                      2.   Welcomes the parties’ agreement with the Personal Envoy’s suggestion to
               hold small, informal talks in preparation for a fifth round of negotiations, and
               recalls its endorsement of the previous report’s recommendation that realism and a
               spirit of compromise by the parties are essential to achieve progress in negotiations;
                    3.    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) and 1813 (2008) and the success of negotiations; and 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;
                     4.    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;
                    5.    Invites Member States to lend appropriate assistance to these talks;
                    6.    Requests the Secretary-General to keep the Security Council informed on
               a regular basis on the status and progress of these negotiations under his auspices
               and expresses its intention to meet to receive and discuss his report;
                    7.   Requests the Secretary-General to provide a report on the situation in
               Western Sahara well before the end of the mandate period;
                    8.   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 between parties;
                    9.    Decides to extend the mandate of MINURSO until 30 April 2010;




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                 10. Requests the Secretary-General to continue to take the necessary
           measures to ensure full compliance in MINURSO with the United Nations zerotolerance policy on sexual exploitation and abuse and to keep the Council informed,
           and urges troop-contributing countries to take appropriate preventive action
           including pre-deployment awareness training, and other action to ensure full
           accountability in cases of such conduct involving their personnel;
                11.   Decides to remain seized of the matter.




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