With Pakistan supporting, UN Security Council extends South Sudan Mission mandate for 1 year

UNITED NATIONS, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 1st May, 2026) The United Nations Security Council on Thursday extended the mandate of the U.N. Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) until 30 April 2027, amid deteriorating situation in the situation in the country.

Thirteen of the 15 Council members, including Pakistan, voted in favour, none against, with China and Russia abstaining.

South Sudan became the world’s newest nation in July 2011 and the UN Mission in that country was established on 8 July 2011, under Council resolution 1996 (2011).

The country has faced persistent political and security upheavals, as well as a humanitarian crisis since it declared independence.

In 2018, various parties to the conflict in that country signed the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan, which led to the formation, in 2020, of the Revitalized Transitional Government of National Unity.

By its terms, the Council decided that the Mission’s mandate is designed to prevent a return to civil war and an escalation of violence in South Sudan, monitor the peace agreement, and further noted that the Council will continue to review and assess the situation in that country, as well as the implementation of this mandate.

In explanation of his vote, Ambassador Usman Jadoon, deputy permanent representative of Pakistan to the UN, said he had voted in favour of the UNMISS mandate renewal resolution primarily to express Pakistan's support for the peacekeeping mission.

At the same time, he said Pakistan shares many of the concerns expressed by the African colleagues, China and others.

The Pakistani envoy said that the proposed reduction of the troop ceiling to 12,500 is not justified by the deteriorating political and security situation in South Sudan, pointing out that the move could negatively affect the implementation of the protection of civilians’ mandate and the safety and security of peacekeepers. "We have consistently emphasized that mandates must be matched with adequate capabilities and resources.

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The resolution, he said significantly curtails the Mission’s political role, as its core task was to support implementation of the Revitalized Agreement and help sustain the transition in South Sudan.

At a time when progress on key benchmarks was stalled, Ambassador Jadoon said the Mission’s political engagement should remain central rather than peripheral. "This goes against the principle that peacekeeping missions should support political solutions."

Pakistan, he said, regrets the removal of language on consultations with troop- and police-contributing countries in the context of the Military and Police capability study.

The Pakistan envoy also voiced concern over linking future adjustments to the Mission’s configuration to the level of host-State cooperation.

"While host state’s cooperation with UNMISS is essential, and we encourage South Sudan to address the obstructions and facilitate the mission in its mandate implementation, peacekeeping operations are instruments of the Security Council and require sustained and predictable political and financial support from this Council, particularly in fragile environment," he said in conclusion.

Under its terms, the resolution decided that UNMISS shall have the following mandate: protection of civilians; creating the conditions conducive to the delivery of humanitarian assistance; supporting the implementation of the Revitalized Agreement and Peace Process; and monitoring, investigating and reporting on alleged violations of international humanitarian law and violations and abuses of human rights.

It stressed that the protection of civilians and facilitating the delivery of humanitarian assistance shall be given priority in decisions about the use of available capacity and resources, while maintaining the important role of human rights monitoring and reporting.

APP/ift