| UN Security Council Resolution 1856 | |
|---|---|
| Date | 22 December 2008 |
| Meeting no. | 6,055 |
| Code | S/RES/1856 (Document) |
| Subject | The situation concerning the Democratic Republic of the Congo |
Voting summary |
|
| Result | Adopted |
| Security Council composition | |
Permanent members | |
Non-permanent members | |
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1856 was unanimously adopted on 22 December 2008.
The Security Council this morning extended the United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC) for another year, while reinforcing its strength and refocusing its mandate more sharply on the protection of civilians tormented by violence in the still-embattled eastern provinces.
Through the unanimous adoption of resolution 1856 (2008), the 15-member body authorized deployment of up to 19,815 military personnel, 760 military observers, 391 police and 1,050 personnel of formed police units in the vast central African country through the end of 2009.
The Council underscored the importance of using “all necessary means” at its disposal, including robust rules of engagement, to ensure the protection of not only civilians, but also humanitarian personnel and United Nations staff and facilities.
Condemning repeated offensives of the Congres national pour la Défense du peuple (CNDP) in North Kivu, the attacks by the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) in Orientale Province and hostilities by illegal armed groups in Ituri, the body called on all armed groups to immediately lay down their arms and present themselves without any preconditions to Congolese authorities and MONUC for disarmament, repatriation, resettlement and/or reintegration as appropriate. [1]
The United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo or MONUSCO, an acronym based on its French name, is a United Nations peacekeeping force in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) which was established by the United Nations Security Council in resolutions 1279 (1999) and 1291 (2000) of the United Nations Security Council to monitor the peace process of the Second Congo War, though much of its focus subsequently turned to the Ituri conflict, the Kivu conflict and the Dongo conflict. The mission was known as the United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo or MONUC, an acronym of its French name Mission de l'Organisation des Nations Unies en République démocratique du Congo, until 2010.
EUFOR RD Congo was a short European Union deployment in 2006 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. On 25 April 2006, the United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution 1671 (2006), authorising the temporary deployment of a European Union force to support the United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUC) during the period encompassing the general elections in the DR Congo, which began on 30 July 2006.
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1906, adopted unanimously on December 23, 2009, after reaffirming previous resolutions on the topic and noting the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Council decided to extend the mandate of the United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUC) until 31 May 2010. The resolution therefore allowed 21,000 police and domestic and international troops to remain the country.
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1925, adopted unanimously on May 28, 2010, after reaffirming previous resolutions on the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Council extended the mandate of the United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUC) until June 30, 2010, authorised a withdrawal of 2,000 troops and decided that from July 1, 2010, MONUC would be known as the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) with a mandate until June 30, 2011.
United Nations Security Council resolution 1291, adopted unanimously on 24 February 2000, after recalling resolutions 1234 (1999), 1258 (1999), 1273 (1999) and 1279 (1999) on situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Council expanded the United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUC) to include additional tasks and extended its mandate until 31 August 2000.
United Nations Security Council resolution 1355, adopted unanimously on 15 June 2001, after recalling resolutions 1234 (1999), 1258 (1999), 1265 (1999), 1273 (1999), 1279 (1999), 1291 (2000), 1296 (2000), 1304 (2000), 1323 (2000), 1332 (2000) and 1341 (2001) on situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Council extended the mandate of the United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUC) until 15 June 2002 subject to review every four months.
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1417 extended the mandate of the United Nations Organisation Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUC) until June 30, 2003. It was unanimously adopted by the United Nations Security Council on June 14, 2002, at its 4,554th meeting. Resolution 1417 was passed after the Security Council recalled its previous resolutions regarding the matter, particularly Resolution 1355 (2001).
United Nations Security Council resolution 1445 was adopted unanimously on 4 December 2002. After recalling all previous resolutions on situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Council expanded the military component of the United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUC) to a level of 8,700 military personnel–up from 4,250–in two task forces.
United Nations Security Council resolution 1468, adopted unanimously on 20 March 2003, after recalling previous resolutions on the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Council welcomed an agreement on the establishment of a transitional government and requested an increased presence of the United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUC) in the Ituri region in the east of the country amid escalating violence.
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1484, adopted unanimously on 30 May 2003, after recalling previous resolutions on the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Council authorised Operation Artemis in Bunia, the capital of Ituri Province, amid the deteriorating security situation in the area.
United Nations Security Council resolution 1493, adopted unanimously on 28 July 2003, after recalling all resolutions on the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Council extended the mandate of the United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUC) until 30 July 2004 and raised its troop level from 8,700 to 10,800.
United Nations Security Council resolution 1565, adopted unanimously on 1 October 2004 after recalling all previous resolutions on the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, extended the mandate of the United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUC) until 31 March 2005 and authorised an additional deployment of 5,900 troops and police. It reaffirmed the commitment to respect the “sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence [sic]” of Congo and States in the region.
United Nations Security Council resolution 1592, adopted unanimously on 30 March 2005, after recalling all previous resolutions on the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, including Resolution 1565 (2004), the Council extended the mandate of the United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUC) until 1 October 2005.
United Nations Security Council resolution 1635, adopted unanimously on 28 October 2005, after recalling all previous resolutions on the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, including resolutions 1565 (2004), 1592 (2005), 1596 (2005), 1621 (2005) and 1628 (2005), the Council extended the mandate of the United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUC) until 30 September 2006.
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1649, adopted unanimously on 21 December 2005, after recalling all previous resolutions on the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, including resolutions 1533 (2004), 1565 (2004), 1592 (2005), 1596 (2005) and 1616 (2005), 1621 (2005) and 1628 (2005), the Council extended and expanded sanctions against the country until 31 July 2006, and demanded that foreign fighters disarm or face sanctions.
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1693, adopted unanimously on June 30, 2006, after recalling all previous resolutions concerning the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, including resolutions 1565 (2004), 1592 (2005), 1596 (2005), 1621 (2005), 1628 (2005), 1635 (2005) and 1671 (2006), the Council extended the temporary increase in the size of the United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUC) until September 30, 2006.
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1736, adopted unanimously on December 22, 2006, after recalling all previous resolutions concerning the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, in Burundi and in the Great Lakes region of Africa, the Council increased the military strength of the United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUC) from January 1, 2007 to February 15, 2007.
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1756 was unanimously adopted on 15 May 2007.
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1794 was unanimously adopted on 21 December 2007.
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1843 was unanimously adopted on 20 November 2008.
