AP News, December 23rd, 2006
The Security Council voted unanimously Friday to extend the mandate of the U.N. peacebuilding mission in Sierra Leone, a country outgoing Secretary-General Kofi Annan called a success story.
A U.N. peacekeeping force helped put Sierra Leone back on the path to peace after a bloody 11-year civil war, which ended in 2002. Poverty continues to plague the country, which has one of the world's lowest life expectancy and literacy rates.
"Today Sierra Leone is a good example of what can be achieved by the U.N. and its member states working closely together," Annan said in a farewell speech to the council. "Sierra Leone is definitely one of the success stories of our work together."
Britain's U.N. Ambassador Emyr Jones Parry said the council "rightly recognizes the huge steps that Sierra Leone has taken over the past two years."
He said that as recently as a few years ago, "Sierra Leone was the site of Africa's most gruesome civil war. Over the past 12 months, in comparison, Sierra Leone has continued to move forward."
Jones Parry said a consolidated effort between U.N. peacebuilders and the Sierra Leone government was essential for ensuring a "full democratic process" in the July 2007 elections.
The peacebuilding mission was established on Jan. 1 as the successor to the a peacekeeping operation. It has 10 military observers, 18 international police officers, and about 130 civilian staff members.
The resolution extends the peacebuilding mission until Dec. 31, 2007 and authorizes 15 additional military observers and police, who will assist with the presidential and parliamentary elections.
