Security Council Resolution 1260 (1999) [on Provisional Expansion and Strengthening of the Political, Civil Affairs, Information, Human Rights and Child Protection Elements of the Un Observer Mission in Sierrra Leone (Unomsil)]

S/RES/1260(1999)View PDF

Who adopted this document and its mandates?

A Resolution of the Security Council, under agenda item 170 The situation in Sierra Leone, published in 1999.

What subjects does this mandate have?

9 subjects

Children in Armed Conflicts Dispute Settlement Humanitarian Assistance Internal Security Military Demobilization Military Personnel Peacekeeping Operations Sierra Leone Weapons Surrender

What’s in this document?

19 operative paragraphs

Welcomes the signing of the Peace Agreement between the Government of Sierra Leone and the Revolutionary United Front of Sierra Leone (RUF) in Lomé on 7 July 1999 (S/1999/777), and commends the President of Togo, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and all those involved in facilitating the negotiations in Lomé on their contribution to this achievement;

Commends the Government of Sierra Leone for its courageous efforts to achieve peace, including through legislative and other measures already taken towards implementation of the Peace Agreement, commends also the leadership of the RUF for taking this decisive step towards peace, and calls upon them both to ensure that the provisions of the Agreement are fully implemented;

Commends also the Military Observer Group of ECOWAS (ECOMOG) on the outstanding contribution which it has made to the restoration of security and stability in Sierra Leone, the protection of civilians and the promotion of a peaceful settlement of the conflict, and urges all States to continue to provide technical, logistical and financial support to ECOMOG to help it to maintain its critical presence and continue to perform its role in Sierra Leone, including through the United Nations Trust Fund established to support peacekeeping and related activities in Sierra Leone;

Authorizes the provisional expansion of UNOMSIL to up to 210 military observers along with the necessary equipment and administrative and medical support to perform the tasks set out in paragraph 38 of the report of the Secretary-General, and decides that these additional military observers shall be deployed as security conditions permit and shall operate for the time being under security provided by ECOMOG as indicated in paragraph 39 of the report;

Underscores the importance of the safety, security and freedom of movement of United Nations and associated personnel, notes that the Government of Sierra Leone and the RUF have agreed in the Peace Agreement to provide guarantees in this regard, and urges all parties in Sierra Leone to respect fully the status of United Nations and associated personnel;

Authorizes the strengthening of the political, civil affairs, information, human rights and child protection elements of UNOMSIL as set out in paragraphs 40 to 52 of the report of the Secretary-General, including through the appointment of a deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General and the expansion of the Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General;

Encourages the ongoing consultations among the parties concerned on future peacekeeping arrangements in Sierra Leone including the respective tasks, strength and mandates of ECOMOG and the United Nations, and welcomes the intention of the Secretary-General to revert to the Council with comprehensive proposals concerning a new mandate and concept of operations for UNOMSIL;

Calls upon the RUF and all other armed groups in Sierra Leone to begin immediately to disband and give up their arms in accordance with the provisions of the Peace Agreement, and to participate fully in the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration programme in Sierra Leone;

Urges all States and international organizations to provide resources to help ensure the successful conduct of the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration programme, in particular through the Trust Fund established by the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development for this purpose;

Stresses the urgent need to promote peace and national reconciliation and to foster accountability and respect for human rights in Sierra Leone and, in this context, takes note of the views contained in paragraph 54 of the report of the Secretary-General, welcomes the provisions in the Peace Agreement on the establishment of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the Human Rights Commission in Sierra Leone, and calls upon the Government of Sierra Leone and the RUF to ensure these Commissions will be established promptly within the time-frame provided for in the Peace Agreement;

Welcomes the adoption of the Human Rights Manifesto by the parties concerned in Sierra Leone and stresses the need for international assistance to address the human rights issues in Sierra Leone as a step towards accountability in the country, as referred to in paragraph 20 of the report of the Secretary-General;

Stresses the need for the international community and the Government of Sierra Leone to design and implement programmes to address the special needs of war victims, in particular those who have suffered maiming mutilation, and, in this regard, welcomes the commitment of the Government of Sierra Leone as set out in the Peace Agreement to establish a special fund for this purpose;

Stresses the urgent and substantial need for humanitarian assistance to the people of Sierra Leone, in particular in the large proportion of the country hitherto inaccessible to relief agencies, and urges all States and international organizations to provide such assistance as a priority, in response to the revised consolidated inter-agency appeal issued in July 1999;

Calls upon all parties to ensure the safe and unhindered access of humanitarian assistance to those in need in Sierra Leone, to guarantee the safety and security of humanitarian personnel and to respect strictly the relevant provisions of international humanitarian law;

Stresses the need for sustained and generous assistance for the longer term tasks of reconstruction, economic and social recovery and development in Sierra Leone, and urges all States and international organizations to participate in and contribute actively to these efforts;

Welcomes the commitment of the Government of Sierra Leone to work with the United Nations Children's Fund and the Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict and other international agencies to give particular attention to the long-term rehabilitation of child combatants in Sierra Leone, and encourages those involved also to address the special needs of all children affected by the conflict in Sierra Leone, including through the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration programme and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, and through support to child victims of mutilation, sexual exploitation and abduction, to the rehabilitation of health and education services, and to the recovery of traumatized children and the protection of unaccompanied children;

Welcomes the decision of the Secretary-General that the United Nations develop a strategic framework approach for Sierra Leone in consultation with national and international partners, as indicated in paragraph 44 of his report;

Requests the Secretary-General to keep the Council closely informed on the situation in Sierra Leone and to submit an additional report to the Council as soon as possible including recommendations for the mandate and structure of the enhanced United Nations peacekeeping presence that may be required in the country;

Decides to remain actively seized of the matter.

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Who adopted this document and its mandates?

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