Resolution 2495, which won the unanimous support of the 15 members of the Security Council, calls on the Sudanese government, Darfur armed movements, and all other stakeholders to strive for peace to allow for UNAMID's exit.

 

The resolution decides that till March 31, 2020, UNAMID shall maintain its current troop and police ceilings, and that during this period, UNAMID shall maintain all team sites for mandate implementation, except its sector headquarters in South Darfur.

 

The planned drawdown and exit of UNAMID was delayed by a series of events in Sudan that resulted in the ouster of longtime leader Omar al-Bashir in April 2019, followed by months of unrest. The Security Council had to approve a four-month technical roll-over of UNAMID's mandate in June 2019 amid a stalemate of Sudan's political situation, and put on hold the mission's drawdown.

 

Thursday's resolution requests the UN secretary-general and the chairperson of the African Union Commission to provide the UN Security Council with a special report no later than Jan. 31, 2020, on an assessment of the situation on the ground, an update on the peace process, and recommendations on the appropriate course of action regarding the drawdown of UNAMID. It also requests the two leaders' opinions on options for a follow-on presence to UNAMID.

 

The resolution says the Security Council intends to decide by March 31, 2020, courses of action regarding the drawdown and exit of UNAMID, and to adopt a new resolution at the same time on a follow-on presence to UNAMID.

 

The resolution decides that UNAMID shall focus on support to the peace process in Darfur; support to peacebuilding activities; the protection of civilians, monitoring and reporting on human rights, the facilitation of humanitarian assistance and the safety and security of humanitarian personnel, and contribute to the creation of the necessary security conditions for the voluntary, informed, safe, dignified and sustainable return of refugees and internally displaced people, or, where appropriate, their local integration or relocation to a third location.

 

The western Sudanese region of Darfur has been plagued by a war between Sudanese government forces and the indigenous population since 2003. UNAMID was established by the Security Council in July 2007 to help maintain and mediate peace.