UN Security Council renews mandate of Abyei mission, reauthorizes Yemen sanctions

UNITED NATIONS - The Security Council on Tuesday renewed the mandate of the UN peacekeeping force in Abyei, a territory contested by Sudan and South Sudan, for a year, till Nov 15, 2024.

Resolution 2708, which won the unanimous support of the 15 members of the council, also decides to extend the peacekeeping mission's mandate modification till Nov 15, 2024.

The Security Council first modified the mandate of the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) in December 2011 to add tasks of supporting a Joint Border Verification and Monitoring Mechanism of Sudan and South Sudan, which gained independence from the former in July 2011.

The resolution urges the governments of Sudan and South Sudan to provide full support for UNISFA in the implementation of its mandate and deployment of UNISFA personnel. It reiterates that Abyei shall be demilitarized from any forces, as well as armed elements of the local communities, other than UNISFA and the Abyei Police Service.

UNISFA was set up by the Security Council in June 2011 after a flare-up shortly before South Sudan's independence.

The Security Council on Tuesday also adopted Resolution 2707 to renew the Yemen sanctions measures of asset freeze and travel ban till Nov 15, 2024.

Resolution 2707, unanimously adopted by the 15-member council, also decides to extend the mandate of the Panel of Experts tasked to assist in the implementation of the sanctions regime till Dec 15, 2024, and requested the Panel of Experts to provide a final report to the Security Council no later than Oct 15, 2024.

Resolution 2707 reaffirms the targeted arms embargo against the Houthis contained in Resolution 2216 of 2015. The arms embargo does not have an expiry date.