The Security Council today extended for another year the mandate of the United Nations mission supporting the 2005 agreement that ended the decades-long north-south civil war in Sudan, stressing the need to complete all remaining tasks under the peace pact.
In a unanimously adopted resolution, the 15-member body decided to extend the UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) until 30 April 2011, with the intention to renew it for further periods as may be required.
FREDSSAFTALE SKAL GENNEMFØRES
The Council stressed the importance of the “full and expeditious” implementation of all elements of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), which ended 20 years of fighting between the Sudanese People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) separatists in the south and the national Government in the north.
The parties achieved a key milestone of the agreement – which ended a conflict in which at least 2 million people were killed and some 4.5 million more driven from their homes – with the holding of national elections earlier this month, the first of their kind in 24 years.
FØLSOMME FOLKEAFSTEMNINGER
In addition, referenda are expected to be held next year to determine whether the south secedes or remains as part of Sudan, as well as on the status of the disputed, oil-rich area of Abyei.
The Council requested UNMIS to play a lead role in assisting in the preparations for the January 2011 referenda, and urged the international community to provide technical and material assistance as requested.
