Security Council Resolution 1509 (2003) [on Establishment of the Un Mission in Liberia (Unmil)]

S/RES/1509(2003)View PDF

Who adopted this document and its mandates?

A Resolution of the Security Council, under agenda item 89 The situation in Liberia, published in 2003.

What’s in this document?

39 operative paragraphs

Decides to establish the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), the stabilization force called for in resolution 1497 (2003), for a period of 12 months, and requests the Secretary-General to transfer authority from the ECOWAS-led ECOMIL forces to UNMIL on 1 October 2003, and further decides that UNMIL will consist of up to 15,000 United Nations military personnel, including up to 250 military observers and 160 staff officers, and up to 1,115 civilian police officers, including formed units to assist in the maintenance of law and order throughout Liberia, and the appropriate civilian component;

Welcomes the appointment by the Secretary-General of his Special Representative for Liberia to direct the operations of UNMIL and coordinate all United Nations activities in Liberia;

Decides that UNMIL shall have the following mandate:

Support for Implementation of the Ceasefire Agreement:

to observe and monitor the implementation of the ceasefire agreement and investigate violations of the ceasefire;

to establish and maintain continuous liaison with the field headquarters of all the parties’ military forces;

to assist in the development of cantonment sites and to provide security at these sites;

to observe and monitor disengagement and cantonment of military forces of all the parties;

to support the work of the JMC;

to develop, as soon as possible, preferably within 30 days of the adoption of this resolution, in cooperation with the JMC, relevant international financial institutions, international development organizations, and donor nations, an action plan for the overall implementation of a disarmament, demobilization, reintegration, and repatriation (DDRR) programme for all armed parties; with particular attention to the special needs of child combatants and women; and addressing the inclusion of non-Liberian combatants;

to carry out voluntary disarmament and to collect and destroy weapons and ammunition as part of an organized DDRR programme;

to liase with the JMC and to advise on the implementation of its functions under the Comprehensive Peace Agreement and the ceasefire agreement;

to provide security at key government installations, in particular ports, airports, and other vital infrastructure;

Protection of United Nations Staff, Facilities and Civilians:

to protect United Nations personnel, facilities, installations and equipment, ensure the security and freedom of movement of its personnel and, without prejudice to the efforts of the government, to protect civilians under imminent threat of physical violence, within its capabilities;

Support for Humanitarian and Human Rights Assistance:

to facilitate the provision of humanitarian assistance, including by helping to establish the necessary security conditions;

to contribute towards international efforts to protect and promote human rights in Liberia, with particular attention to vulnerable groups including refugees, returning refugees and internally displaced persons, women, children, and demobilized child soldiers, within UNMIL’s capabilities and under acceptable security conditions, in close cooperation with other United Nations agencies, related organizations, governmental organizations, and non-governmental organizations;

to ensure an adequate human rights presence, capacity and expertise within UNMIL to carry out human rights promotion, protection, and monitoring activities;

Support for Security Reform:

to assist the transitional government of Liberia in monitoring and restructuring the police force of Liberia, consistent with democratic policing, to develop a civilian police training programme, and to otherwise assist in the training of civilian police, in cooperation with ECOWAS, international organizations, and interested States;

to assist the transitional government in the formation of a new and restructured Liberian military in cooperation with ECOWAS, international organizations and interested States;

Support for Implementation of the Peace Process:

to assist the transitional Government, in conjunction with ECOWAS and other international partners, in reestablishment of national authority throughout the country, including the establishment of a functioning administrative structure at both the national and local levels;

to assist the transitional government in conjunction with ECOWAS and other international partners in developing a strategy to consolidate governmental institutions, including a national legal framework and judicial and correctional institutions;

to assist the transitional government in restoring proper administration of natural resources;

to assist the transitional government, in conjunction with ECOWAS and other international partners, in preparing for national elections scheduled for no later than the end of 2005;

Demands that the Liberian parties cease hostilities throughout Liberia and fulfil their obligations under the Comprehensive Peace Agreement and the ceasefire agreement, including cooperation in the formation of the JMC as established under the ceasefire agreement;

Calls upon all parties to cooperate fully in the deployment and operations of UNMIL, including through ensuring the safety, security and freedom of movement of United Nations personnel, together with associated personnel, throughout Liberia;

Encourages UNMIL, within its capabilities and areas of deployment, to support the voluntary return of refugees and internally displaced persons;

Requests the Liberian Government to conclude a status-of-force agreement with the Secretary-General within 30 days of adoption of this resolution, and notes that pending the conclusion of such an agreement the model status-of-force agreement dated 9 October 1990 (A/45/594) shall apply provisionally;

Calls upon all parties to ensure, in accordance with relevant provisions of international law, the full, safe and unhindered access of relief personnel to all those in need and delivery of humanitarian assistance, in particular to internally displaced persons and refugees;

Recognizes the importance of the protection of children in armed conflict, in accordance with its resolution 1379 (2001) and related resolutions;

Demands that all parties cease all use of child soldiers, that all parties cease all human rights violations and atrocities against the Liberia population, and stresses the need to bring to justice those responsible;

Reaffirms the importance of a gender perspective in peacekeeping operations and post-conflict peace-building in accordance with resolution 1325 (2000), recalls the need to address violence against women and girls as a tool of warfare, and encourages UNMIL as well as the Liberian parties to actively address these issues;

Decides that the measures imposed by paragraphs 5 (a) and 5 (b) of resolution 1343 (2001) shall not apply to supplies of arms and related materiel and technical training and assistance intended solely for support of or use by UNMIL;

Reiterates its demand that all States in the region cease military support for armed groups in neighbouring countries, take action to prevent armed individuals and groups from using their territory to prepare and commit attacks on neighbouring countries and refrain from any actions that might contribute to further destabilization of the situation in the region, and declares its readiness to consider, if necessary, ways of promoting compliance with this demand;

Calls upon the transitional government to restore fully Liberia’s relations with its neighbours and to normalize Liberia’s relations with the international community;

Calls on the international community to consider how it might help future economic development in Liberia aimed at achieving long-term stability in Liberia and improving the welfare of its people;

Stresses the need for an effective public information capacity, including the establishment as necessary of United Nations radio stations to promote understanding of the peace process and the role of UNMIL among local communities and the parties;

Calls on the Liberian parties to engage for the purpose of addressing the question of DDRR on an urgent basis and urges the parties, in particular the transitional government of Liberia, and rebel groups Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (LURD) and the Movement for Democracy in Liberia (MODEL), to work closely with UNMIL, the JMC, relevant assistance organizations, and donor nations, in the implementation of a DDRR programme;

Calls on the international donor community to provide assistance for the implementation of a DDRR programme, and sustained international assistance to the peace process, and to contribute to consolidated humanitarian appeals;

Requests the Secretary-General to provide regular updates, including a formal report every 90 days to the Council on the progress in the implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement and this resolution, including the implementation of UNMIL’s mandate;

Decides to remain actively seized of the matter.

Security Council Resolution 1509 (2003) [on Establishment of the Un Mission in Liberia (Unmil)]

Who adopted this document and its mandates?

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