A UN peacekeeper escorts women and children in the violence-rocked Tambura County, Western Equatoria State recently | Credit | Denis Louro/UNMISS

The United Nations Security Council has extended and strengthened its peacekeeping mission in South Sudan for another year.

The UNMISS mandate was renewed after 13 of the 15 Security Council members voted in its favor with China and Russia abstaining.

China and Russia said they abstained due to the inclusion of language related to ‘human rights and climate change.’

According to the resolutions, the Mission is obliged to carry out tasks in four key areas such as protection of civilians, creation of humanitarian access and supporting the peace process.

It is also mandated to monitor, investigate and report violations of international humanitarian law, as well as abuses of human rights.

Linda Thomas Greenfield, the US Ambassador to the UN addressing the council yesterday.

Greenfield said she believes the UNMISS mandate extension will help create a path toward long-term stability and security in the country.

“The United States thanks Council members for their efforts to strengthen the UNMISS mandate and to ensure the mission supports the people of South Sudan and their pursuit to lasting peace, security and stability,” Ambassador Linda Greenfield said.

“The mandate reinforces the core mission of UNMISS to protect civilians, support delivery of humanitarian assistance, monitor and investigate human rights and support the peace process.

“It also authorizes UNMISS to provide electro systems at the request of the government of South Sudan pending its meeting of the electro benchmark outlined in the revitalized Agreement.

“We believe the renewed UNMISS mandate will help create the necessary and powerful path towards long term stability and security in the country.”

Meanwhile, China says it regrets the US push for human rights language in the Security Council resolution on South Sudan.

A statement published on the Chinese state media said China supported the renewal of the UNMISS mandate, but abstained from voting after the United States, the penholder on South Sudan, refused to make revisions on the resolutions.