The United Nations Security Council on Friday extended the mandate of the joint United Nations-African Union (AU) peacekeeping force in Sudan's conflict-affected region of Darfur (UNAMID) for one year, while welcoming the intention of the Secretary-General and the AU to review the number uniformed personnel required for effectiveness. The Secretary-General's review is intended to ensure the most efficient and effective implementation of the mission's mandate, the Council said in its resolution, which also requested the UN chief to continue reporting on UNAMID's mandate implementation every 90 days, and not later than 180 days from Friday. The Council stressed the need for UNAMID to make full use of its mandate and capabilities to protect civilians across Darfur. The mission should also ensure that hose in need had unhindered access to relief, as provide protection to humanitarian personnel. It reaffirmed the importance of promoting the AU-UN-led peace and political process for Darfur, and welcomed the priority given to UNAMID's continuing efforts to support and complement the peace initiative. The Council demanded that all parties to the conflict in Darfur, including all armed movements engage in talks immediately, and without preconditions, and to make every effort to reach a permanent ceasefire and a comprehensive peace settlement. It requested the Secretary-General to include in his regular reports, assessments of the peace process, taking into account the views of the AU, to determine UNAMID's further engagement in support of a Darfur–based political process. It welcomed the Secretary-General's intention to develop a roadmap for the Darfur peace process, and requested him to work in close consultation with the AU, and in consultation, as appropriate, with all Sudanese stakeholders. It commended the efforts of the all troop- and police-contributing countries, as well as donor, and strongly condemned all attacks on the peacekeeping force, stressing that any attack or threat of harm to UNAMID is unacceptable. The Council urged the Sudanese Government to ensure that perpetrators of any attacks on UNAMID are brought to justice. The Council also demanded that UNAMID be given a licence to operate its own radio transmitter in line with the provisions of the Status of Forces Agreement. UNAMID has been in place since 2008 to quell fighting and protect civilians in Darfur, where an estimated 300,000 people have been killed and some 2.7 million others forced from their homes since fighting erupted in 2003, pitting Government forces and allied militias against rebel groups. BM/UN
