Security Council Resolution 2540 (2020) [on Extension of the Mandate of the Un Assistance Mission in Somalia (Unsom) Until 31 Aug. 2021]

S/RES/2540 (2020)View PDF

Who adopted this document and its mandates?

A Resolution of the Security Council, under agenda item 84 The situation in Somalia, published in 2020.

What other versions does this mandate have?

3 versions · 2015–2020

Year	Symbol	Title	Word length	Text similarity
2020	S/RES/2540 (2020)	Security Council resolution 2540 (2020) [on extension of the mandate of the UN Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM) until 31 Aug. 2021]	—	—
2020	S/RES/2527 (2020)	Security Council resolution 2527 (2020) [on extension of the mandate of the UN Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM) until 31 Aug. 2020]	—	—
2015	S/RES/2221 (2015)	Security Council resolution 2221 (2015) [on extension of the mandate of the UN Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM) until 7 Aug. 2015]	—	–

Which reports were submitted under this mandate?

5 reports · 2020–2021

Year	Symbol	Title	Mandate resolution
2021	S/2021/723	Situation in Somalia report of the Secretary-General	S/RES/2540 (2020)
2021	S/2021/485	Situation in Somalia report of the Secretary-General	S/RES/2540 (2020)
2021	S/2021/154	Situation in Somalia report of the Secretary-General	S/RES/2540 (2020)
2020	S/2020/1113	Situation in Somalia report of the Secretary-General	S/RES/2540 (2020)
2020	S/2020/798	Situation in Somalia report of the Secretary-General	S/RES/2527 (2020)

What subjects does this mandate have?

6 subjects

Human Rights Peacebuilding Peacekeeping Operations Security Sector Reform Somalia Somalia Situation

What’s in this document?

29 operative paragraphs

Decides to extend until 31 August 2021 UNSOM’s mandate as set out in paragraph 1 of resolution 2158 (2014);

Strongly condemns continued attacks by the terrorist group Al-Shabaab, including attacks in the region, on the United Nations Compound in Mogadishu and AMISOM facilities, and urges the FGS, AMISOM and the United Nations to work closely on strengthening safety and security for the United Nations and AU facilities and staff;

Requests UNSOM to maintain and strengthen its presence in all of the FMS, subject to United Nations security requirements and as the security situation allows, welcomes the strong relationship between UNSOM, the United Nations Support Office in Somalia (UNSOS), the United Nations Country Team and AMISOM, and underlines the importance of all entities continuing to strengthen the relationship further at all levels, including through the Senior Leadership Coordination Forum;

Expresses its deep appreciation for UNSOM’s support to the FGS as set out in paragraph 1 of its resolution 2158 (2014), in particular with regard to the development of inclusive politics and preparations for the elections in 2021, the constitutional review process, mediation, prevention and resolution of conflicts, the development of a federated police and justice system, strengthening the rule of law and security sector reform, and coordinating capacity-building support on anti-corruption issues;

Further decides that UNSOM should continue to coordinate UN efforts, in full cooperation with the FGS and FMS, with a particular focus on the following tasks:

provide support to the FGS and the FMS to accelerate Somali Government-led, inclusive politics, and reach political agreement, in order to deliver shared political and security commitments, through inclusive regular high-level dialogue at all levels between the FGS and all FMS;

provide support to efforts undertaken by the FGS and the FMS to pursue inter- and intra-clan reconciliation at the local, regional and national level, including efforts in Galmudug and Jubaland, as the basis for long-term stability in Somalia, and provide support to efforts to strengthen the dialogue between the FGS and “Somaliland”;

provide support, through the exercise of its good offices and through technical, operational and logistical assistance to the FGS, the Somali Parliament, the NIEC, and any other stakeholders with an agreed role in election delivery, in collaboration with UNSOS, for the delivery of elections which are free, fair, timely, peaceful, transparent, credible and inclusive, incorporating a direct voting component enabling as many citizens as possible to vote in 2020/2021, in accordance with the Provisional Federal Constitution of Somalia, and taking fully into account the perspectives of relevant stakeholders, with a particular focus on supporting the NIEC at national level and in the FMS, along with local stakeholders to fulfil its independent constitutional mandate to implement elections as agreed by relevant stakeholders, continue to support efforts to make progress towards the objective of universal elections, and support strengthened coordination of international electoral support to Somalia;

provide technical advice and capacity-building to support the FGS in its efforts to enable the full, equal and meaningful participation of all Somalis, including women, youth, minority clans, persons with disabilities, IDPs and Somali refugees in reconciliation efforts, conflict resolution, peacebuilding and elections, including supporting Somali commitments to ensure that women fill at least 30 percent of the seats in both Houses of Parliament, and increasing participation and empowerment of women, minority communities and other marginalised groups at all decision-making levels;

provide support to the FGS and the FMS to accelerate implementation of key security sector reforms, in conjunction with international partners, AMISOM and UNSOS, including a coherent National Security Architecture with a military and civilian component, delivery of the Somali-led Transition Plan, agreement on a federated justice and corrections model, the establishment and strengthening of effective, accountable and constitutional rule of law institutions;

provide coordination and strategic advice to improve the operation of the Comprehensive Approach to Security and collaboration between the FGS and international partners, as agreed in the Security Pact at the 2017 London Somalia Conference;

provide support to United Nations entities to ensure system-wide implementation of the Human Rights Due Diligence Policy across all United Nations support to AMISOM and the Somali security sector, to include a strong focus on strengthening engagement with the Government, including on implementation of mitigation, compliance and accountability measures;

provide technical advice and capacity-building support to the establishment of the National Human Rights Commission and to the FGS, in particular the Ministry for Women and Human Rights Development, to promote and protect human rights in Somalia, including to protect women and girls from sexual and gender based violence, to promote accountability for human rights violations and abuses, including through working with civil society, reinforcing and aligning human rights efforts across security-related and humanitarian agendas, and monitor and include information on the human rights situation in the Secretary-General’s reporting in accordance with paragraph 16;

provide support, within its mandate and existing resources, to the FGS in the implementation of the 2019 Mutual Accountability Framework (MAF) for Somalia;

provide support to the FGS to implement Somalia’s National Strategy and Action Plan for Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism, in order to strengthen Somalia’s capacity to prevent and counter terrorism, including Somalia’s capacity to address conditions conducive to the spread of terrorism, in compliance with Somalia’s obligations under international law, including international humanitarian law, international human rights law and international refugee law, and provide support to Somalia’s efforts to become a state party to the international counter-terrorism conventions and protocols;

provide support and strategic policy advice to bolster the FGS’s ability to deliver services and attract investment, and help the FGS to establish frameworks for managing resources and power sharing, in order to enable Somalia to strengthen revenue mobilisation, resource allocation, budget execution, and anti-corruption measures, as set out in the New Partnership for Somalia;

support Somalia’s efforts to advance 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, working closely with the United Nations Country Team, provide strategic advice to institutional capacity building in line with the Somalia National Development Plan, collaborate with the international financial institutions to support the mobilisation of economic and development assistance, and ensure effective and integrated cooperation of United Nations agencies, funds and programmes and promote cooperation with relevant partners, with a view to making maximum use of development financing in Somalia, including in response to flooding, locusts and the COVID-19 pandemic;

Calls upon the FGS and the FMS to enhance as a matter of urgency broad-based consultations and consensus building through consultative mechanisms at all levels and with the two Houses of Parliament on key national priorities, including the implementation of the National Security Architecture, the delivery of the Somali-led Transition Plan, delivery of further economic reforms, the review of the Constitution, and implementation of timely elections;

Urges the Somali authorities to create a conducive political and security climate for inclusive elections across Somalia and at all levels to foster political pluralism, ensure political space for the role, rights and responsibilities of legally constituted political parties, including opposition parties, uphold the rights of freedom of expression, association, peaceful assembly and movement, including the ability of independent journalists to freely operate, and condemn hate speech and incitement to violence, and calls upon all FMS to allow the NIEC to operate freely in each FMS to the extent required to deliver an agreed electoral model;

Expresses its concern about all violations of international humanitarian law and violations and abuses of human rights, including those involving sexual and gender-based violence in conflict, further calls upon all parties to comply with their obligations under international law, including international humanitarian law, as applicable, in relation to the protection of the civilian population, and civilian objects, and further reiterates the urgent and imperative need to hold accountable all those responsible for violations of international humanitarian law and violations and abuses of human rights, including the right to freedom of expression, including against journalists and other media professionals and associated personnel;

Demands all parties to the conflict to take appropriate measures to end and prevent violations and abuses against children, including the continued recruitment and use of children in armed conflict, in accordance with obligations under international law, identify those responsible for such violations and abuses, consider primarily as victims those children who have been released or otherwise separated from armed forces and armed groups as per the Paris Principles endorsed by the FGS, cease detention of all children on national security charges where it is in violation of applicable international law, calls upon the FGS to implement fully the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child 1989 (UNCRC), the two Action Plans signed by the FGS in 2012 to end and prevent the recruitment and use of child soldiers and the killing and maiming of children, the Somali National Army Command Order on the Protection of Children’s Rights Before, During and After Operations, the roadmap signed in 2019 and the Standard Operating Procedures on the handover of children, and underscores the need to strengthen the legal and operational framework for the protection of children in Somalia, including by Somalia becoming a party to the Optional Protocols to the UNCRC and the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child;

Further strongly condemns any misuse or obstruction of humanitarian assistance, including attacks against humanitarian and medical personnel, and against their means of transport and equipment, as well as hospitals and other medical facilities in violation of international law, and demands that all parties allow and facilitate full, safe, rapid and unhindered access for the timely delivery of aid to persons in need across Somalia in line with the humanitarian principles, including by dismantling illegal checkpoints and removing administrative hurdles, and underlines the importance of proper accounting in international humanitarian support;

Calls upon the FGS, the FMS and all relevant actors to facilitate, support and, where appropriate, implement durable solutions for internal displacement, including local integration or resettlement, and to create the conditions conducive to the voluntary, safe, dignified and sustainable return of refugees and IDPs, with the support of the international community;

Underlines the need for the FGS to establish and operationalise the National Human Rights Commission, accelerate the appointment of Commissioners, and establish and operationalise the Constitutional Court and the Judicial Service Commission in line with the Provisional Constitution and the relevant legislation, calls on the FGS to implement legislation aimed at protecting human rights and investigating and prosecuting perpetrators of crimes involving violations or abuses of human rights, violations of international humanitarian law, and sexual and gender-based violence in conflict and post-conflict situations, further calls on the FGS to ensure that sexual offences legislation be compatible with its obligations under international law and commitments on the protection of children and women, and urges the FGS, with the support of the United Nations, to accelerate the implementation of the Joint Communiqué and the adoption and implementation of the new National Action Plan to Combat Sexual Violence in Conflict, and commends the FGS for its commitment to fulfilling its reporting obligations under human rights treaty bodies;

Requests the United Nations, the FGS and the FMS to consider the adverse implications of climate change, other ecological changes, natural disasters, among other factors, in their programmes in Somalia, including by undertaking risk assessments and risk management strategies relating to these factors, and requests the Secretary-General to provide an update in mandated reporting as appropriate;

Recalls its request in resolution 2520 (2020) that the Secretary-General conducts an independent assessment, by 10 January 2021, and present options to the Security Council on international support to the whole security environment in Somalia post 2021, and reiterates that options on UNSOM’s role in this regard should be provided as part of this independent assessment;

Affirms that it shall keep the situation in Somalia under continuing review and be prepared to review the provisions contained in this resolution, at any time as may be necessary, in light of the evolution of the political developments and the situation in the country;

Requests the Secretary-General to keep the Security Council regularly informed on the implementation of this resolution, and to identify and report on progress towards achieving key political benchmarks, in particular progress towards elections, including through oral updates and no fewer than four written reports, with the first written report due by 15 November and every 90 days thereafter;

Decides to remain actively seized of the matter.

Who adopted this document and its mandates?

What other versions does this mandate have?

Which reports were submitted under this mandate?

What subjects does this mandate have?

What’s in this document?

Table of contents