UN Mission Interaction in Africa - S/RES/1609 (2005)

The resolution 1609 deals with the integration of the mission of the United Nations in Ivory Coast, (UNOCI) with its nearby missions in Sierra Leone and Liberia and also with the change of the mandate related to the first mission. The overall goal of the resolution is to integrate the efforts of the different portions of the military efforts that are taking place in the region. The mandate that is developed through the resolution encompasses most of the activities possible that might take place in the efforts of the peacekeeping mission and the peace-building in the nation. In this regard, it is a pretty extensive mandate that goes from issues of elections to the actual building of the authority of the State.



Preamble

The preamble of the document recalls the previous resolutions and Presidential statements related to the situation in the Ivory Coast as well a resolution on Liberia and one on Sierra Leone, to serve as basis for its cooperation authorizations. It further reaffirms the commitment to sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity and unity of the Ivory Coast, while recalling principles of good neighborliness, without defining what that would entail to. It further recalls three agreements related to Ivorian political forces in consecutive years, starting in 2003. It takes not of the report of the Secretary-General regarding cross-border operation and inter-mission cooperation. The preamble also expresses concern at a deteriorating security and humanitarian situation and determines that the situation is still a threat to international peace and security. It acts under Chapter VII of the Charter.

Operative Clauses

Initially, the document extends the mandate of UNOCI and the French forces that support the mission for seven months until January 24, 2006. Afterwards, the document discuss the new mandate that ought to guide the mission from this date forward. The mandate includes diverse elements such as monitoring the cessation of hostilities and support for redeployment of State administration. When it comes to monitoring the cessation of hostilities, it shall observe and monitor the implementation of the joint declaration of end of war and comprehensive ceasefire agreement; work for the re-establishment of trust among all the Ivorian forces; and assist the government authority in monitoring the borders. As it comes to disarmament, demobilization, reintegration, repatriation and resettlement (DDRRR); the mission ought to assist the government in regrouping the forces; support the implementation of DDRRR programs; coordinate closely with the missions in Sierra Leone and Liberia when it comes to repatriation; take into account the necessity of a coordinated regional approach and to secure, neutralize or destroy weapons surrendered by individuals.

The new mandate moves on to disarmament and dismantling of militias and in that area it should assist the government in implementing a national plan to disarm and dismantle militias as well as to secure, neutralize or destroy weapons and related materiel that comes from this process. The mandate moves to the protection of United Nations personnel and for that it ought to protect the personnel and assist in the provision of security for members of the Government of National Reconciliation. Afterwards it moves to monitoring the arms embargo as it asks the mission to monitor the implementation of the arms embargo imposed in 2004 as well as to collect the materiel related to this embargo. The mandate also encompasses support for humanitarian assistance, calling for it to facilitate the free flow of humanitarian assistance and it moves to the support for the redeployment of State administration and for that the mission should facilitate the re-establishment of the governmental authority.

The mandate moves on to the support of the elections that will take place in Ivory Coast and for that it requires the mission to provide all necessary technical assistance; to provide technical information and also to guarantee the security of the areas in which voting will take place. The mandate also discusses the assistance to the population as it regards the implementation of human rights and calls special attention to violence committed against children and women when it comes to monitoring and investigating human rights violations. There is further a section on public information as the mission should promote the understanding of the peace process and the role of the mission for public information and also it should monitor the Ivorian mass media regarding incitement of violence. The last section deals with law and order and calls for the mission to assist the government in restructuring the internal security services and the re-establishment of the authority of the judiciary. The mandate encompasses most of the areas that a democratic government should have, being one of the most wide mandates that this website has discussed so far.

The resolution after discussing the mandate, authorizes an increase in the military component of the mission of up to 850 personnel and also authorizes the Secretary-General to take the necessary steps to deal with inter-mission cooperation and possible cross-border operation among the mission in Sierra Leone, Liberia and Ivory Coast. It also requests the Secretary-General to seek agreement of the contributing countries to the missions to allow redeployment of personnel of those missions and also authorizes the temporary redeployment of both military and civilian personnel among these three missions. Related to this redeployment, the Secretary-General shall inform the Council of its intention of those redeployment; it further points out that the redeployed forces should count against the original mission ceiling; those transfer shall not result in the increase of total combined ceilings and that those redeployments should not effect the extension of the deployment.

The document also decides to review the troop level of UNOCI by the end of 2005 and authorizes the mission to use all necessary means to carry out its mandate. It also requests the mission to carry out its mandate in close cooperation with the missions in Sierra Leone and Liberia. The resolution also underlines the importance of taking into consideration of gender perspective in the missions and to take into consideration the zero tolerance policy of sexual exploitation and abuse. It also authorizes the French forces to use all necessary means in order to support the mission in Ivory Coast, particularly to contribute to the general security of the area; intervene at the request of the mission; intervene against belligerent actions; it ought to help protect civilians and lastly to contribute to the arms embargo. Afterwards it decides to remain actively seized of the matter.