Closure of UNMIS

UNMIS wound up its operations on 9 July 2011 with the completion of the interim period agreed on by the Government of Sudan and Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), signed on 9 January 2005.

The mission ended its six years of mandated operations the same day South Sudan declared independence, following a CPA-provided referendum on 9 January 2011 that voted overwhelmingly in favour of secession.

In support of the new nation, the Security Council established a successor mission to UNMIS – the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) – on 9 July for an initial period of one year, with the intention to renew for further periods as required.

UNMIS to provide more assistance with Kadugli Agreements

15 May 2011

UNMIS to provide more assistance with Kadugli Agreements

12 May 2011 - UNMIS has availed more resources and logistical support to assist the parties in implementing the January 2011 Kadugli Agreements, UNMIS Force Commander Maj. Gen. Moses Obi said today.

The mission will assist with redeployment of Joint Integrated Units (JIUs) from bases they have vacated and also with withdrawal from the Abyei area of all unauthorized forces, the force commander said during the second meeting of the Abyei Joint Technical Committee.

The Committee had agreed on actions points on 8 May in Kadugli for redeployment of JIUs and withdrawal of all unauthorized forces.

"Deployment or redeployment is your work," Maj. Gen. Obi said. "As a mission we are here to support you. Resources are ready." He listed transportation, water and liaison support as some resources the mission had made available to the parties.

"These resources and support are not just for a day, they are available to you until the redeployment and withdrawal process is completed," he said said.

The technical committee meeting in Abyei was the second in less than a week in attempting to operationalize action points reached in Kadugli on 8 May.

The 13 and 17 January Kadugli Agreements called for withdrawal of unauthorized forces from the Abyei area. Implementation of the accords has become more urgent following the 1 May JIU-Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and southern police clashes that left 14 JIU-SAF soldiers dead. The incident also led to severe restrictions on UNMIS patrols and movements throughout the Abyei area.

Elements from South Sudanese Police Service (SSPS), Popular Defense Forces (PDF), Misseriya militias, oil police and the 31^st SAF Brigade are alleged to be in the Abyei area. They are unauthorized forces and must be withdrawn under the January Kadugli Agreements.

Both the SAF and Sudan People's Liberation Army, represented by Maj. Gen. Tag Eldeen Alzein Ahme and Maj. Gen.

Mac Paul Koul Awar respectively, committed themselves to redeployment of JIUs and withdrawal of all unauthorized forces from the Abyei area. The deployment and withdrawal exercise is expected to be completed by 17 May in line with action points laid down at the 8 May meeting.

Maj. Gen. Obi will lead a UNMIS facilitation team in Abyei on 17 May to ascertain progress made with deployment and withdrawal as per the consensus on action points.