UN Security Council extends South Sudan mission mandate for 1 year
US resolution adopted by 12 members
HAMILTON, Canada
The UN Security Council extended a mandate Thursday for the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) for one year.
Twelve members of the Council voted in favor to extend the mission until April 30, 2026, with Russia, China and Pakistan abstaining
The US resolution maintains UNMISS' core tasks but was delayed due to disagreements about language on gender, climate and human rights -- prompting a temporary extension before a final agreement was reached.
US Chargé d'Affaires ad interim Dorothy Shea highlighted UNMISS' importance at a Council meeting before the vote. "South Sudan is on the brink of a broader civil war, with mounting tensions and escalating violence. The need for peace is paramount," she said.
"We insist that UNMISS be allowed to carry out its mandate without hindrance, as is reflected in the mandate," she said, adding that the US "is committed to the UN returning to its foundational purpose of maintaining international peace and security."
China's deputy representative to the UN, Sun Lei, said after the vote that the resolution "contains a lot of elements that exert excessive pressure" on the South Sudan government, arguing it is "not in line with realities on the ground."
Beijing criticized the US, and urged the penholder "to take an objective and a fair approach, to effectively show their due responsibilities and to make genuine efforts to maintain the unity of the Council and to forge the broadest possible consensus."
Russia's Deputy Permanent Representative for Political Affairs, Anna Evstigneeva, expressed "full support" to UNMISS’ operations in South Sudan, however, she criticized the US for applying "pressure on the government of South Sudan."
Pakistan's deputy envoy Muhammad Usman Iqbal Jadoon also criticized the resolution as "unnecessarily politicized."
"Unfortunately, the resolution contains issues which have no direct link with UNMISS, hence, regrettably, it prevented consensus in the Council," he said, criticizing the US for disregarding "the legitimate concerns raised by the member states during the negotiations."
