Event

 

This year’s mandate deliberations on the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) will take place in a context of significant change in South Sudan. The 2018 Revitalized Peace Agreement in South Sudan (R-ARCSS) resulted in a settlement on the formation of a transitional national government of unity that must oversee a fragile set of processes to help the country out of cycles of violence, continuing humanitarian crises, and volatile relations with South Sudan’s neighbours.

However, critical key aspects of the peace agreement remain well behind schedule, including concerning security arrangements, the constitutional process, and transitional justice, though there has been some recent progress on the latter two. Against this backdrop, the United Nations Security Council will renew the mandate of UNMISS in March 2022, marking the tenth renewal of the Mission’s mandate since it began in 2011.

In this webinar, panellists will examine the effectiveness of UNMISS and explore the challenges and opportunities the Mission might face in 2022-2023. The discussion will centre on the findings of the report, The United Nations Mission in South Sudan 2022: Risks and Opportunities in an Uncertain Peace Process, which is designed to inform the March 2022 mandate renewal process for UNMISS.

The report focuses on two inter-related aspects of UNMISS’ mandate: (1) the Protection of Civilians (POC), in particular the gradual shift from POC sites to more mobile activities, and (2) UNMISS’ support for the peace process, including how the Mission works with regional partners. Finally, the report provides strategic considerations and specific recommendations to the United Nations Security Council for the mandate renewal process.

The participants in the webinar will discuss these issues, and the audience is invited to take part in a Q&A session.

Agenda

 

15.00-15.05

Opening remarks and webinar chaired by

Cedric de Coning, Research Professor at NUPI

15.05-15.15

Introduction

Adam Day, Director of Programmes at United Nations University Centre for Policy  Research

15.15-15.35

Nicholas Haysom, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of UNMISS [TBC]

Ambassador Akuei Bona Malwal, South Sudan’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations [TBC]

15.35-15.58

Discussion and questions from the audience

15.58-16.00

Concluding Remarks

Cedric de Coning, Research Professor at NUPI

 

The report The United Nations Mission in South Sudan 2022: Risks and Opportunities in an Uncertain Peace Process can be accessed through this link.

This event is hosted by The Effectiveness of Peace Operations Network (EPON), Training for Peace (TfP) and NUPI.

For inquiries, please contact NUPI Research Assistant Thea Willoch Njaastad, thea.njaastad@nupi.no.