The Warrap State  Legislative Assembly today pledged to help in accurately informing communities about the role of the UN peacekeeping mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).

Assembly Speaker Madot Dut Deng made the remarks during a one-day awareness and sensitization forum with an integrated UNMISS team, led by State Coordinator Leda Limann, in the state capital Kuajok.

The meeting was aimed at discussing priorities and activities laid down in the UNMISS mandate, which the UN Security Council recently extended  to 15 December, as well as adjusted the mission’s activities.

“The protection of civilians is the primary responsibility of the Government of South Sudan,” said Ms. Limann.

She also described early warning as basic information sharing and preventive measures to contain conflict and noted that this was a key element in protecting civilians.

Mr. Deng urged UNMISS to sensitize the public more about its mandate so as to erase doubts and misconceptions.

“UNMISS needs to go down to the grassroots to interact with people in payams and bomas to create an awareness so that our people understand what  (the mission) is doing,” he said.

He noted that some people don’t know the differences between UNMISS and the Inter-governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) or other international organizations. 

The extended mandate, which was extended under Security Council Resolution 2441, retained key core areas including protecting civilians, monitoring and investigating human rights, creating the conditions for delivery of humanitarian assistance and supporting the peace process.

In the resolution, the Security Council called on the Secretary-General to prioritize complete deployment of UNMISS personnel to the authorized military and police strength, including tactical military helicopters and unarmed unmanned aerial systems.

The Council also requested the Secretary-General to make available technical assistance to implement Chapter V of the recently signed Peace Agreement — including in the setting up of the hybrid court for South Sudan — to the Commission of the African Union and to the Transitional Government of National Unity.