S/2005/273
I. Introduction
1. By its resolution 1562 (2004) of 17 September 2004, the Security Council extended the mandate of the United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) until 30 June 2005. In my twenty-fourth report on UNAMSIL, dated 10 December 2004 (S/2004/965), I indicated my intention to submit to the Security Council in April 2005 a report on the implementation of the benchmarks it had established by its resolution 1537 (2004) for the residual UNAMSIL presence, together with a further assessment of the security situation in the country and possible recommendations in this regard. An interdepartmental assessment mission led by the Department of Peacekeeping Operations visited Sierra Leone from 20 to 28 March to evaluate the benchmarks and collect the information needed to develop those recommendations. The findings of the assessment mission and my recommendations concerning the future of UNAMSIL and the continued United Nations presence in Sierra Leone following the withdrawal of UNAMSIL are provided in sections II, IX, X and XI of the present report. The report also provides an update on major developments in the peace consolidation process in Sierra Leone since my last report.
II. Assessment mission
2. The assessment mission comprised representatives of the Department of Political Affairs, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the Department of Economic and Social Affairs, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and UNAMSIL. The team evaluated progress made in the benchmarks set by the Security Council, which include (a) strengthening the capacity of the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces and Sierra Leone police to maintain security and stability effectively throughout the country; (b) consolidating State authority throughout Sierra Leone; and (c) consolidating the deployment of the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) throughout that country.
3. The mission also evaluated the security situation in Sierra Leone, as well as other important aspects of the overall peace consolidation and national recovery process. The team met with a wide cross-section of Sierra Leonean and international stakeholders in the peace process. It also visited several parts of the country. The President, Ahmad Tejan Kabbah, and the Vice-President, Solomon Berewa, received the mission in separate meetings and provided their assessments of the overall situation in the country and in the subregion, as well as the views of the Government on the withdrawal of UNAMSIL and a possible post-UNAMSIL United Nations presence. The findings of the mission are described in subsections A and B below.
A. Status of the residual UNAMSIL presence
4. By the end of February, UNAMSIL had completed the transition to its residual presence in Sierra Leone, comprising 3,250 troops, 141 military observers and 80 civilian police personnel. (For the current troop strength, see the annex to the present report.) In order to carry out the mandated tasks outlined in Security Council resolution 1562 (2004), the force, which now comprises three infantry battalions and support units, is deployed as follows: a Nigerian battalion in Freetown, a Pakistani battalion in Kenema, and a Ghanaian battalion in Bo. Support units are located in Freetown.
B. Progress on benchmarks
5. The Government of Sierra Leone, with the support of UNAMSIL and other bilateral and multilateral partners, has made considerable progress in the implementation of the benchmarks. The situation in the country since my last report has been calm and stable. There have been no security incidents requiring UNAMSIL support for the Sierra Leone security forces since the Mission handed over primary responsibility for security in the country to the Government in September 2004. UNAMSIL has played a supporting role since it began to focus on assisting the security forces in conducting border security patrols, transportation and construction projects to improve barracks and other infrastructure, and running training courses for armed forces personnel, including courses in driving, logistics, vehicle maintenance, information technology and signals.
6. In several areas some major shortfalls remain, however, particularly with regard to the security sector. Much also remains to be done to further consolidate State administration throughout the country and fully restore Government control over diamond-mining activities, as described in paragraphs 7 to 25 below.
1. Strengthening the capacity of the Sierra Leone security sector
7. During their discussions with the assessment team, President Kabbah, Vice- President Berewa and concerned Government Ministers and heads of security agencies stated that the Government was determined to continue enhancing the capacity of the security sector to effectively maintain the external and internal security of the country.
8. The Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces, supported by the International Military Advisory and Training Team, led by the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, have continued to build their operational capabilities. The Government, with the support of the Team, has continued a contingency programme aimed at increasing the capacity of the armed forces to deal effectively with threats to external security and to backstop the Sierra Leone police in maintaining law and order. That programme, launched in July 2003, includes the deployment of three armed forces brigades to the provinces and border areas; and the continuation of the restructuring of the armed forces to reduce their troop strength from the present level of some 13,000 military personnel towards the planned goal of 10,500 by 2007. The establishment nationwide of security and intelligence committees, known as provincial and district security committees, which provide a framework for cooperation among the Sierra Leone police, armed forces and local authorities on security matters at the district and provincial levels, and the construction of barracks for troops in the provinces and border areas, under a programme called Operation Pebu, also constitute integral parts of the programme. The International Military Advisory and Training Team is expected to continue its operations in Sierra Leone at least until 2010.
9. President Kabbah and Vice-President Berewa, as well as senior officials of the Ministry of Defence, the armed forces, the International Military Advisory and Training Team and UNAMSIL informed the mission, however, that the programme to prepare the armed forces to effectively assume responsibility for the external security of the country was behind schedule. Furthermore, the operational effectiveness of the armed forces is particularly hampered by logistical shortfalls, including a serious lack of communications equipment and accommodation. Operation Pebu has slowed down and its concept has been changed so that priority has been accorded to the construction of barracks at two sites, Pujehun and Kailahun. It is anticipated that each of those sites will accommodate 600 personnel and will be completed by June 2006. Subsequently, construction on five additional sites would continue, to be completed by 2010. The assessment mission was informed of the forthcoming provision of communications equipment by the United Kingdom Government later this year, which would help to alleviate the shortfall.
10. I have been pleased to note that, following my letter of 25 August 2004 to potential donors, appealing for assistance to the Government of Sierra Leone regarding the provision of urgently needed equipment for the armed forces, a number of donations were made, and some pledges yet to be fulfilled. These include a donation by the Government of Switzerland of 260 assorted trucks. The Government of the Netherlands has announced its intention to provide €2 million for the purchase of vehicles. These generous gestures will certainly help to improve the armed forces transport fleet, which is currently largely inoperable. The construction of accommodation - some 400 single-room units with communal facilities - is expected to start soon at an armed forces training camp near Freetown, with assistance from the Government of India. Furthermore, the assessment team was informed of the proposed donation of three marine coastal patrol vessels by the United States and one by China. Serious shortfalls remain, however, which prompted me to send a further letter on 24 March 2005 appealing to potential donors to once more consider providing assistance for the Sierra Leone armed forces, specifically with regard to communications equipment and accommodation.
11. The Sierra Leone armed forces and police have continued to conduct joint patrols, which are now carried out without the operational support of UNAMSIL. A national security exercise on command and control at strategic and operational levels was successfully held in November 2004, involving President Kabbah and the National Security Council, as well as the senior echelons of the armed forces and police. A further exercise is planned for early May to focus on detailed operational command, including the establishment of a joint police and armed forces operations centre.
12. Supported by UNDP, the UNAMSIL civilian police component and the training team of the Commonwealth Community Safety and Security Project, the Sierra Leone police have made notable improvements in performance in maintaining internal security. The current strength of the police force stands at some 8,200; it is expected to reach some 8,600 personnel by May.
13. The construction of classrooms and dormitories at the Police Training School in Hastings, near Freetown, funded by the United Kingdom Department for International Development (DFID) and UNDP, has been completed, allowing for an increase from 400 to 600 recruits per trainee group. However, the Government has not provided the requisite funding for training of the increased number of recruits. Given this shortfall, the benchmark of 9,500 trained police officers in the Sierra Leone police by the end of 2005 is not expected to be met. In addition, lack of accommodation in the provinces is seriously hampering further deployments of the police throughout the country.
14. UNAMSIL continues to ensure coordinated efforts towards strengthening and building the capacity of the Sierra Leone police through in-service specialist training and the development of training manuals. The in-service training programme was boosted by the construction and renovation of regional training centres in Bo, Kenema and Makeni, funded by UNDP. Since September 2003, 729 police officers have benefited from a programme for middle-management police staff. Furthermore, 109 field-coaching officers, who would take over mentoring activities following the withdrawal of UNAMSIL, and some 150 training instructors have been trained. Officers are also being trained for the Sierra Leone police Precious Minerals Unit. In-service training is provided for officers in several key policing areas.
15. Despite the logistical shortfalls referred to above, the ability of the Sierra Leone police to plan and conduct security operations is gradually improving. The police were able to contain the demonstrations staged by university students in Freetown from 25 February to 2 March, which led to some violent incidents in the city, as well as an earlier strike action led by the Sierra Leone Labour Congress, in both cases without backup assistance at the scene of incidents from UNAMSIL or support from the armed forces, although UNAMSIL did provide fuel to support the police operations. However, these incidents highlighted some serious shortcomings in the command and control structure of the police and in their liaison with the Office of National Security. These shortcomings are now being addressed by the Government.
16. The Office of National Security has continued to improve its effectiveness and intelligence-gathering capacity. Together with the National Security Council and its Coordinating Group, the Office of National Security meets regularly to address security issues. However, the effectiveness of the central security structures is hampered by resource limitations. The deployment of regional security coordinators has strengthened the management of the district and provincial security committees. Their ability to function effectively is however hampered by a lack of communications and transportation between the districts, provincial capitals and Freetown. In addition, some international interlocutors indicated to the assessment mission that the enhancement of the capacity of the security sector was being hampered by lack of strategic financial management by the Government.
17. Strengthening the capacity of the Sierra Leonean security sector also needs to be assessed in the context of the fragile security situation in the wider Mano River basin subregion, comprising Côte d'Ivoire, Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. There exists a risk of spillover effects should tensions increase in Liberia in connection with the elections to be held in October. Furthermore, setbacks in the peace process in Côte d'Ivoire or possible instability in Guinea, and the unresolved territorial issue between Guinea and Sierra Leone over the border village of Yenga in the eastern part of the country could pose potential security threats to Sierra Leone. It is generally recognized, nonetheless, that there are currently no major external threats to the security of Sierra Leone.
18. In meetings with the assessment mission, President Kabbah, Vice-President Berewa and concerned senior security officials stated that withdrawal of UNAMSIL at the end of June when its current mandate expires would be premature. In their view, it could be expected that by the end of 2005, the security sector would have effectively assumed primary responsibility for the security of the country, subject to the timely provision of much-needed assistance. Neither the President nor the Vice- President called for the continuation of UNAMSIL into 2006.
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