UN extends South Sudan peacekeeping mission

Africa

The UN Security Council has extended the mandate of the peacekeeping force in South Sudan for a year, amid ongoing rebel violence in parts of Africa’s youngest nation.

It has been reported that Russia and China abstained from the vote.

US Ambassador to the UN, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, tweeted that the renewed mandate would help strengthen efforts to prevent sexual and gender-based violence and enable the peace mission to provide electoral assistance.

The UN retained the 19,000-strong contingent comprising of 17,000 soldiers and 2,101 police officers. A deadly civil war between 2013 and 2018 left thousands dead and millions of people homeless.

A power-sharing deal signed has failed to stem violence in many parts of the country. The UN has issued grim projections about the possibility of holding elections next year.

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