UN peacekeepers on patrol in South Sudan | Credit | File photo

The United Nations Security Council has extended the mandate of its peacekeeping mission in South Sudan for one more year.

The new mandate runs until March 15, 2022.

It says UNMISS will maintain its overall force levels at a ceiling of 17,000 troops and 2,101 police, including 88 correction officers.

The Council unanimously adopted resolution number 2567 to advance UNMISS’ three-year strategic vision to prevent a return to civil war in the country.

This includes creating conducive conditions for the delivery of humanitarian assistance, supporting the implementation of the revitalized agreement and the South Sudan peace process.

The mission will also continue to monitor, investigate and report on violations of international humanitarian law, and abuses of human rights in South Sudan.

The UN Security Council further expressed its readiness to consider adjusting those levels based on security conditions on the ground and the implementation of priority measures by the Government of South Sudan and all relevant actors.

It asserted that –the primary mandate of UNMISS is to protect civilians threatened by violence, creating conditions to deliver humanitarian aid, and supporting the implementation of the peace agreement.

The Council members demanded that all parties allow the rapid, safe and unhindered access of relief personnel, equipment and supplies and the timely delivery of humanitarian assistance to all those in need.

It encourages the IGAD, the African Union Peace and Security Council, and countries in the region to find a durable solution to South Sudan’s peace and security challenges while calling on the international community to scale up its humanitarian response.

The UN Secretary-General is expected to provide a comprehensive report every 90 days on the implementation of the UNMISS mandate.