The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on December 22 unanimously adopted Resolution 2559 to terminate the mandate of the joint UN-African Union (AU) Hybrid Operation in Darfur, Sudan (UNAMID).

A meeting of the UNSC in New York, the US (Photo: AFP/VNA)

As all 15 members of the UNSC were in favour of the resolution, the UNAMID will conclude its operations on December 31, withdrawing all uniformed and civilian personnel other than those needed for liquidation by June 30, 2021.

The resolution urged the Government of Sudan to protect civilians in Darfur in accordance with international human rights law and international humanitarian law.

It also called on the UN Secretary-General, Chairperson of the AU and the Sudanese Government to regularly update the UNSC on the mission’s withdrawal, and the UN Secretary-General to report to the UNSC on the process by July 31 and experience and lessons learned from the UNAMID by the end of October 2021.

The UNSC’s resolutions are currently adopted through a written procedure vote under temporary, extraordinary and provisional measures implemented in response to the COVID‑19 pandemic.

The UNAMID was formally established by the Security Council on July 31, 2007 through the adoption of Resolution 1769 of the UNSC. It is the first joint UN-AU force.

The termination was made as security in Darfur has seen remarkable progress in the recent past.

Vietnam officially assumed the role of a non-permanent member of the UNSC for the 2020-2021 tenure in January 2020.