Russian and China flags

China and Russia have abstained from the extension of the mandate of the UN mission in South Sudan for another year, saying the Security Council should avoid imposing external solutions and unrealistic standards.

Russia said the UNMISS mandate is already complicated.

On Monday, the Security Council extended the mandate of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan for one year, until 30 April 2025, with an additional task to provide technical assistance to the unity government on the conduct of elections.

It also maintained its force levels to cope with the continuing political, security and humanitarian challenges in South Sudan.

Adopting resolution 2-7-2-9 by a vote of 13 in favour to none against, with two abstentions, Russia and China, the Council decided that UNMISS should advance a multiyear strategic vision to prevent a return to civil war and an escalation of violence.

The Security Council says the extension will also enable the country’s self-reliance, address the critical gaps towards building durable peace at the local and national levels, support inclusive and accountable governance, and provide support for free and fair, peaceful elections.

The Council maintained the Mission’s troop ceiling of 17,000 personnel and a police ceiling of 2,101 personnel, including 88 justice and corrections advisors.  It also expressed its readiness to consider adjustments to UNMISS force levels and capacity-building tasks based on security conditions on the ground.

During the vote for the adoption of the resolution, China and Russia abstained.

The representative of China said that the draft puts “undue pressure” on the government of South Sudan and accused it of some electoral issues.

The representative said having achieved statehood not long ago, South Sudan lacks experience in organizing elections, adding that imposing external solutions and unrealistic standards should be avoided.

He added that peacekeeping missions should not overstep the primary responsibility of States for protecting civilians.  “The repeated push by the penholder to give UNMISS an offensive mandate will not only put peacekeepers at risk but also will ultimately jeopardize the Mission’s cooperation with South Sudan.”

Meanwhile, the Russian Federation’s representative said that her delegation also abstained on the vote as Moscow disagreed with several United States proposals aimed at broadening the UNMISS mandate, which is already complicated.

Regarding elections, she said that the Mission “is not some sort of gadget we have in our pocket” and doesn’t belong to the penholders.

The draft continued to urge Juba to organize the political process, in keeping with what the West wanted.  The real issue is the tall challenges Juba is confronted with — not to extend the transitional period any further.

The Russian representative said to do that, they must hold elections, adding that the Council should consider the efforts undertaken by the South Sudanese authorities, instead of “looking for new reasons to criticize them”.