United Nations Security Council Resolution 1959
Encyclopedia
United Nations
Security Council Resolution
1959, adopted unanimously on December 16, 2010, after recalling resolutions 1719
(2006), 1791
(2007), 1858
(2008) and 1902
(2009), the Council established the United Nations Office in Burundi
(BNUB) to replace the United Nations Integrated Office in Burundi
(BINUB) as part of a scaled-down United Nations presence in the country for an initial period of twelve months, beginning January 1, 2011.
between May and September 2010 and encouraged the government to create space for all political parties. It was further encouraged by the government's anti-corruption
policy and progress towards peace and stability. The Council welcomed the engagement of the Peacebuilding Commission
in Burundi, and the latter's commitment to regional integration within the Economic Community of the Great Lakes Countries
and East African Community
.
The resolution also expressed concern at human rights
violations, including extrajudicial killings, torture
and restrictions on civil liberties
.
was asked to establish BNUB to support peace, stability and national reconciliation in Burundi. It would be headed by a Special Representative of the Secretary-General
, and undertake the following tasks:
support the development of national institutions; promoting dialogue; combating impunity
; promoting human rights
; ensuring economic and financial policies meet the needs of vulnerable people and advocate resource mobilisation for Burundi; support with regional integration issues.
The Council emphasised the primary responsibility of the Burundian government for peacebuilding
and long-term development and encouraged more efforts to improve governance and tackle corruption. It was also important to address security sector reform and the reintegration of former child soldiers
. Meanwhile, a tripartite agreement between Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo
and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
concerning refugee
s was welcomed.
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
Security Council Resolution
United Nations Security Council Resolution
A United Nations Security Council resolution is a UN resolution adopted by the fifteen members of the Security Council; the UN body charged with "primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security"....
1959, adopted unanimously on December 16, 2010, after recalling resolutions 1719
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1719
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1719, adopted unanimously on October 25, 2006, after recalling resolutions on the situation in Burundi, including resolutions 1545 , 1577 , 1602 , 1606 , 1650 and 1692 , the Council established the United Nations Integrated Office in Burundi for an...
(2006), 1791
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1791
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1791 was unanimously adopted on 19 December 2007.- Resolution :Welcoming the appointment on 14 November of a Government of National Unity in Burundi and emphasizing the need for the United Nations system and the international community to maintain their...
(2007), 1858
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1858
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1858 was unanimously adopted on 22 December 2008.- Resolution :Emphasizing the need for the international community to maintain its support for peace consolidation and long-term development in Burundi, the Security Council today decided to extend the...
(2008) and 1902
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1902
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1902, adopted unanimously on December 17, 2009, after emphasising the need for the international community to maintain peace and long-term development in Burundi, the Council extended the mandate of the United Nations Integrated Office in Burundi , as...
(2009), the Council established the United Nations Office in Burundi
United Nations Office in Burundi
The United Nations Office in Burundi was established by the United Nations Security Council in December 2010 as a scaled-down operation to replace the United Nations Integrated Office in Burundi from 1 January 2011....
(BNUB) to replace the United Nations Integrated Office in Burundi
United Nations Integrated Office in Burundi
The United Nations Integrated Office in Burundi was established by the United Nations Security Council to support the government of Burundi in its efforts towards long-term peace and stability and to replace the work of United Nations Operation in Burundi...
(BINUB) as part of a scaled-down United Nations presence in the country for an initial period of twelve months, beginning January 1, 2011.
Observations
In the preamble of the resolution, the Council recognised the successful holding of elections in BurundiElections in Burundi
Elections in Burundi gives information on election and election results in Burundi.Burundi elects on national level a head of state - the president - and a legislature. The National Assembly has 118 members, elected for a five year term by proportional representation with a 2% barrier...
between May and September 2010 and encouraged the government to create space for all political parties. It was further encouraged by the government's anti-corruption
Corruption
Corruption usually refers to spiritual or moral impurity.Corruption may also refer to:* Corruption , an American crime film* Corruption , a British horror film...
policy and progress towards peace and stability. The Council welcomed the engagement of the Peacebuilding Commission
Peacebuilding Commission
The Peacebuilding Commission was established in December 2005 by the United Nations General Assembly and the Security Council acting concurrently...
in Burundi, and the latter's commitment to regional integration within the Economic Community of the Great Lakes Countries
Economic Community of the Great Lakes Countries
The Economic Community of the Great Lakes Countries is a sub-regional organization with multiple vocation created by the signing of the Agreement of Gisenyi in Rwanda on September 20, 1976, aiming at insuring the safety of member states, at favoring the creation and the development of activities of...
and East African Community
East African Community
The East African Community is an intergovernmental organisation comprising the five east African countries Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda. Pierre Nkurunziza, the President of the Republic of Burundi, is the current Chairman of the East African Community. The EAC was originally...
.
The resolution also expressed concern at human rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
violations, including extrajudicial killings, torture
Torture
Torture is the act of inflicting severe pain as a means of punishment, revenge, forcing information or a confession, or simply as an act of cruelty. Throughout history, torture has often been used as a method of political re-education, interrogation, punishment, and coercion...
and restrictions on civil liberties
Civil liberties
Civil liberties are rights and freedoms that provide an individual specific rights such as the freedom from slavery and forced labour, freedom from torture and death, the right to liberty and security, right to a fair trial, the right to defend one's self, the right to own and bear arms, the right...
.
Acts
The Secretary-General Ban Ki-moonBan Ki-moon
Ban Ki-moon is the eighth and current Secretary-General of the United Nations, after succeeding Kofi Annan in 2007. Before going on to be Secretary-General, Ban was a career diplomat in South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and in the United Nations. He entered diplomatic service the year he...
was asked to establish BNUB to support peace, stability and national reconciliation in Burundi. It would be headed by a Special Representative of the Secretary-General
Special Representative of the Secretary-General
A Special Representative of the Secretary-General is a highly respected expert who has been appointed by the Secretary-General of the United Nations to represent her/him in meetings with heads of state on critical human rights issues...
, and undertake the following tasks:
support the development of national institutions; promoting dialogue; combating impunity
Impunity
Impunity means "exemption from punishment or loss or escape from fines". In the international law of human rights, it refers to the failure to bring perpetrators of human rights violations to justice and, as such, itself constitutes a denial of the victims' right to justice and redress...
; promoting human rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
; ensuring economic and financial policies meet the needs of vulnerable people and advocate resource mobilisation for Burundi; support with regional integration issues.
The Council emphasised the primary responsibility of the Burundian government for peacebuilding
Peacebuilding
Peacebuilding is a term used within the international development community to describe the processes and activities involved in resolving violent conflict and establishing a sustainable peace....
and long-term development and encouraged more efforts to improve governance and tackle corruption. It was also important to address security sector reform and the reintegration of former child soldiers
Military use of children
The military use of children takes three distinct forms: children can take direct part in hostilities , or they can be used in support roles such as porters, spies, messengers, look outs, and sexual slaves; or they can be used for political advantage either as human shields or in...
. Meanwhile, a tripartite agreement between Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is a state located in Central Africa. It is the second largest country in Africa by area and the eleventh largest in the world...
and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees , also known as The UN Refugee Agency is a United Nations agency mandated to protect and support refugees at the request of a government or the UN itself and assists in their voluntary repatriation, local integration or resettlement to...
concerning refugee
Refugee
A refugee is a person who outside her country of origin or habitual residence because she has suffered persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or because she is a member of a persecuted 'social group'. Such a person may be referred to as an 'asylum seeker' until...
s was welcomed.
See also
- Burundi Civil WarBurundi Civil WarThe Burundi Civil War was an armed conflict lasting from 1993 to 2005. The civil war was the result of long standing ethnic divisions between the Hutu and the Tutsi tribes in Burundi...
- List of United Nations Security Council Resolutions 1901 to 2000 (2009 – 2011)
- Politics of BurundiPolitics of BurundiPolitics of Burundi takes place in a framework of a transitional presidential representative democratic republic, whereby the President of Burundi is both head of state and head of government, and of a multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the government...