Security Council Establishes Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in Sudan, Unanimously Adopting Resolution 2524 (2020)

The Security Council, in a 4 June videoconference meeting*, decided to establish a new political mission in Sudan to assist the country in its transition towards democratic governance, provide support for peace negotiations and bolster efforts to maintain accountable rule of law and security institutions.

Unanimously adopting resolution 2524 (2020), the Council decided that the new United Nations Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in Sudan (UNITAMS) will provide technical assistance to the Constitution drafting process, supporting implementation of all human rights, equality, accountability and rule-of-law provisions in the Constitutional Document.

Among other strategic objectives, UNITAMS will provide good offices for peace negotiations, and if requested, scalable support for the implementation of any future peace agreements, and for the monitoring and verification of possible ceasefires, with particular focus on Blue Nile and South Kordofan (the Two Areas) and Darfur.

By other terms, the new Mission will also assist in peacebuilding, civilian protection and rule of law, notably in Darfur and the Two Areas.  It will support Sudan’s capacity to extend State presence and inclusive civilian governance, in particular by strengthening accountable rule of law and security institutions, and by building trust between State authorities and local communities.

To foster stable conditions in which future peace agreements can be implemented, UNITAMS will provide support on civilian protection, deploying mobile monitoring teams and facilitating local crisis mediation.  It will also help to uphold human rights, notably by protecting women and children from sexual and gender-based violence.  It will collaborate with international financial institutions to mobilize economic and development assistance, and facilitate full, rapid and unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid.

The Council requested the Secretary-General to swiftly establish UNITAMS, ensuring that the Mission can start delivering against all its strategic objectives no later than 1 January 2021.  He was also requested to provide the Council with a suggested structure and geographical deployment within 60 days.

[Security Council resolutions are currently adopted through a written procedure vote under temporary, extraordinary and provisional measures implemented in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, as set out in a letter (document S/2020/253) by its President for March (China).]

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* Based on information received from the Security Council Affairs Division.