United Nations Security Council Resolution 1497

UN Security Council
Resolution 1497
UN Security Council ; Resolution 1497
	Liberia in the African Union
Date	1 August 2003
Meeting no.	4,803
Code	S/RES/1497 (Document)
Subject	The situation in Liberia
Voting summary	12 voted for; None voted against; 3 abstained;
Result	Adopted
Security Council composition
Permanent members	China ; France ; Russia ; United Kingdom ; United States ;
Non-permanent members	Angola ; Bulgaria ; Chile ; Cameroon ; Germany ; Guinea ; Mexico ; Pakistan ; Spain ; Syria ;

Last updated May 31, 2021

United Nations Security Council resolution 1497, adopted on 1 August 2003, after expressing concern at the situation in Liberia, the Council authorised a multinational force to intervene in the civil war to support the implementation of a ceasefire agreement using "all necessary measures".^[1]

The resolution was adopted by 12 votes to none against and three abstentions from France, Germany and Mexico; the three countries supported the intervention but were opposed to demands from the United States in the resolution that exempted soldiers from countries not party to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) from its jurisdiction.^[2]

Resolution

Observations

The security council stressed the need to create a secure environment with respect for human rights, humanitarian workers and the well-being for civilians, including children. It recalled the obligation of the Liberian parties to the ceasefire agreement signed in Accra, Ghana on 17 June 2003 and of demands contained in Resolution 1343 (2001) to prevent armed groups from using the territory of states to attack others and destabilise the border regions between Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.

Determining the situation in Liberia to be a threat to international peace and security, the council commended the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) for its efforts and recalled the Secretary-General Kofi Annan's request to deploy an international force in Liberia. Since the request there were disputes over the funding of the mission and who would participate.^[3]

Acts

Acting under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter, the Council authorised the establishment of a multinational force in Liberia to support the implementation of the 17 June ceasefire agreement.^[4] At the same time, it would maintain security following the departure of President Charles Taylor and the installation of a successor authority; create conditions for disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration activities and the delivery of humanitarian aid; and prepare for the deployment of a long-term peacekeeping force (later known as the United Nations Mission in Liberia) by 1 October 2003.^[5]

The United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) was asked to give logistical support for a limited 30-day period to ECOWAS elements of the multinational force in Liberia without compromising its mandate in Sierra Leone. States participating in the multinational force could use all necessary measures to fulfill its mandate and all states were asked to contribute to the operation. Meanwhile, soldiers of countries participating in the multinational force that were not party to the ICC were exempted from its jurisdiction. An arms embargo imposed on Liberia would not apply to equipment destined for use by the force, while all states in the region were asked to refrain from actions that could destabilise the borders between Côte d'Ivoire, Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.

The resolution called upon all countries and Liberian parties to co-operate with the multinational force and to ensure the safety and freedom of movement of both the force and humanitarian personnel. The Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy and Movement for Democracy in Liberia were urged to uphold the 17 June ceasefire agreement, end violence, agree to an inclusive political framework for a transitional government and refrain from seizing power by force.

The measures in the resolution would be reviewed within 30 days and requested the secretary-general, through his Special Representative, to report periodically on the situation in Liberia to the council.

Related Research Articles

The United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) was a United Nations peacekeeping operation in Sierra Leone from 1999 to 2006. It was created by the United Nations Security Council in October 1999 to help with the implementation of the Lomé Peace Accord, an agreement intended to end the Sierra Leonean civil war. UNAMSIL expanded in size several times in 2000 and 2001. It concluded its mandate at the end of 2005, the Security Council having declared that its mission was complete.

The United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) was a peacekeeping force established in September 2003 to monitor a ceasefire agreement in Liberia following the resignation of President Charles Taylor and the conclusion of the Second Liberian Civil War. The peacekeeping mission formally withdrew on 30 March 2018. At its peak it consisted of up to 15,000 United Nations military personnel and 1,115 police officers, along with a civilian component. It superseded the United Nations Observer Mission in Liberia (UNOMIL). As of July 2016, 1,240 U.N. military and 606 police personnel remained on the ground, but were there only in case of emergency.

United Nations Security Council resolution 972, adopted unanimously on 13 January 1995, after reaffirming resolutions 813 (1993), 856 (1993), 866 (1993), 911 (1994) and 950 (1994), the council discussed the peace process in Liberia and extended the mandate of the United Nations Observer Mission in Liberia (UNOMIL) until 13 April 1995.

United Nations Security Council resolution 1059, adopted unanimously on 31 May 1996, after recalling all resolutions on the situation in Liberia, particularly Resolution 1041 (1996), the Council extended the mandate of the United Nations Observer Mission in Liberia (UNOMIL) until 31 August 1996 and discussed the security situation in the country.

United Nations Security Council resolution 1132, adopted on 8 October 1997, after expressing concern at the situation in Sierra Leone, the council, acting under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter, imposed an oil and arms embargo on the country.

United Nations Security Council resolution 1315, adopted unanimously on 14 August 2000, after expressing concern at serious crimes committed in Sierra Leone, the Council expressed its intention to establish the Special Court for Sierra Leone to deal with violations of human rights, international law and war crimes in the country.

United Nations Security Council resolution 1343, adopted unanimously on 7 March 2001, after recalling resolutions on Sierra Leone and the region, including resolutions 1132 (1997), 1171 (1998) and 1306 (2000), the Council demanded that Liberia end its support for rebels in Sierra Leone and threatened the imposition of wide-ranging sanctions unless the country complied with the Security Council.

United Nations Security Council resolution 1346, adopted unanimously on 30 March 2001, after recalling previous resolutions on the situation in Sierra Leone, the Council extended the mandate of the United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) for a further six months and increased the size of its military component.

United Nations Security Council resolution 1370, adopted unanimously on 18 September 2001, after recalling resolutions 1270 (1999), 1289 (2000), 1313 (2000), 1317 (2000), 1321 (2000) and 1346 (2001) on the situation in Sierra Leone, the Council extended the mandate of the United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) for a period of six months until 31 March 2002, beginning from 30 September 2001.

United Nations Security Council resolution 1436, adopted unanimously on 24 September 2002, after recalling all previous resolutions on the situation in Sierra Leone, the Council extended the mandate of the United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) for a further six months beginning on 30 September 2002.

United Nations Security Council resolution 1478, adopted unanimously on 6 May 2003, after recalling resolutions 1132 (1997), 1171 (1998), 1306 (2000), 1343 (2001), 1385 (2001), 1395 (2002), 1400 (2002), 1408 (2002), 1458 (2003), 1467 (2003) and others on the situation in Liberia, the Council extended sanctions against the Liberian government for an additional period of twelve months until 7 May 2004 and imposed a ban on imports of its timber for ten months.

United Nations Security Council resolution 1479, adopted unanimously on 13 May 2003, after reaffirming Resolution 1464 (2003) on the situation in Côte d'Ivoire and resolutions 1460 (2003) and 1467 (2003), the Council established the United Nations Mission in Côte d'Ivoire (MINUCI) after determining the situation in the country to be a threat to international peace and security in the region.

United Nations Security Council resolution 1508, adopted unanimously on 19 September 2003, after recalling all previous resolutions on the situation in Sierra Leone, the Council extended the mandate of the United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) for six months until 31 March 2004.

United Nations Security Council resolution 1509, adopted unanimously on 19 September 2003, after recalling all previous resolutions on the situation in Liberia, including Resolution 1497 (2003), the Council established the 15,000-strong United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) to assist in implementing a ceasefire and peace agreement.

United Nations Security Council resolution 1521, adopted unanimously on 22 December 2003, after recalling all previous resolutions on the situation in Liberia and West Africa, the Council established a monitoring body to oversee international sanctions against Liberia. It was the final Security Council resolution adopted in 2003.

United Nations Security Council resolution 1528, adopted unanimously on 27 February 2004, after recalling resolutions 1464 (2003), 1479 (2003), 1498 (2003), 1514 (2003) and 1527 (2004) on the situation in Côte d'Ivoire, the Council established the United Nations Operation in Côte d'Ivoire (UNOCI) for an initial period of twelve months.

United Nations Security Council resolution 1537, adopted unanimously on 30 March 2004, after recalling all previous resolutions on the situation in Sierra Leone, the Council extended the mandate of the United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) for six months until 30 September 2004 with a residual force remaining in the country until June 2005.

United Nations Security Council resolution 1584, adopted unanimously on 1 February 2005, after recalling resolutions 1528 (2004) and 1572 (2004) on the situation in Côte d'Ivoire, the council, acting under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter, strengthened an arms embargo against the country.

United Nations Security Council resolution 1626, adopted unanimously on 19 September 2005, after recalling all previous resolutions on the situations in Liberia and Sierra Leone, particularly resolutions 1509 (2003), 1610 (2005) and 1620 (2005), the Council extended the mandate of the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) until 31 March 2006 and authorised the deployment of 250 troops to Sierra Leone to protect the Special Court.

The United Nations Observer Mission in Sierra Leone (UNOMSIL) was a United Nations peacekeeping operation in Sierra Leone from 1998 to 1999 that was established with the passage of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1181. Its mission was to monitor the military and security situation in Sierra Leone. The mission was terminated in October 1999, when the Security Council authorized deployment of a new, and significantly larger peacekeeping operation, the Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL).

References

↑ "Security Council authorises multinational force to support ceasefire in Liberia". United Nations. 1 August 2003.
↑ Abass, Ademola (1 January 2005). "The Competence of the Security Council to Terminate the Jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court". Texas International Law Journal.
↑ Associated Press (2 August 2003). "Security Council authorises multinational force for Liberia". The Star . Malaysia.
↑ Kabia, John M. (2009). Humanitarian intervention and conflict resolution in West Africa: from ECOMOG to ECOMIL. Ashgate Publishing, Ltd. p. 158. ISBN 978-0-7546-7444-3.
↑ Jain, Neha (2005). "A Separate Law for Peacekeepers: The Clash between the Security Council and the International Criminal Court". European Journal of International Law. 16 (2): 239–254. doi: 10.1093/ejil/chi116 .

External links

Works related to United Nations Security Council Resolution 1497 at Wikisource
Text of the Resolution at undocs.org

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[un-1] "Security Council authorises multinational force to support ceasefire in Liberia". United Nations. 1 August 2003.

[2] Abass, Ademola (1 January 2005). "The Competence of the Security Council to Terminate the Jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court". Texas International Law Journal.

[3] Associated Press (2 August 2003). "Security Council authorises multinational force for Liberia". The Star . Malaysia.

[4] Kabia, John M. (2009). Humanitarian intervention and conflict resolution in West Africa: from ECOMOG to ECOMIL. Ashgate Publishing, Ltd. p. 158. ISBN 978-0-7546-7444-3.

[5] Jain, Neha (2005). "A Separate Law for Peacekeepers: The Clash between the Security Council and the International Criminal Court". European Journal of International Law. 16 (2): 239–254. doi: 10.1093/ejil/chi116 .

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