United Nations Security Council Resolution 866 – Liberia
Resolution 866 (1993) of 22 September 1993
The Security Council,
Recalling its resolutions 813 (1993) of 26 March 1993 and 856 (1993) of 10 August 1993,
Having considered the report of the Secretary-General of 9 and 17 September 199313 on the proposed establishment of the United Nations Observer Mission in Liberia,
Noting that the Peace Agreement signed by the three Liberian parties at Cotonou, Benin, on 25 July 19931 calls on the United Nations and the Military Observer Group of the Economic Community of West African States to assist in the implementation of the Agreement,
Emphasizing, as noted in the report of the Secretary-General of 2 August 1993, 11 that the Peace Agreement assigns the Military Observer Group the primary responsibility of supervising the implementation of the military provisions of the Agreement and envisages that the United Nations role shall be to monitor and verify this process,
Noting that this would be the first peace-keeping mission undertaken by the United Nations in cooperation with a peace-keeping mission already set up by another organization, in this case the Economic Community of West African States,
Recognizing that United Nations involvement would contribute significantly to the effective implementation of the Peace Agreement and would serve to underline the international community’s commitment to conflict resolution in Liberia,
Commending the Economic Community of West African States for its continuing efforts to restore peace, security and stability in Liberia.
Commending also the efforts of the Organization of African Unity in support of the peace process in Liberia,
Stressing the importance of full cooperation and close coordination between the United Nations Observer Mission in Liberia and the Military Observer Group in the implementation of their respective mandates,
Taking note of the deployment of an advance team of United Nations military observers to Liberia as authorized under resolution 856 (1993),
Welcoming the establishment of the Joint Cease-fire Monitoring Committee composed of the three Liberian parties, the Military Observer Group and the United Nations,
Welcoming also the formation in Cotonou on 27 August 1993 of the five-member Council of State representing all three Liberian parties which, in accordance with the Peace Agreement, shall be installed concomitantly with the commencement of the disarmament process and shall be responsible for the day-to-day operation of the transitional government,
Noting that the Peace Agreement calls for legislative and presidential elections to take place approximately seven months after the signing of the Peace Agreement,
- Welcomes the report of the Secretary-General of 9 and 17 September 1993u on the proposed establishment of the United Nations Observer Mission in Liberia;
2. Decides to establish the United Nations Observer Mission in Liberia under its authority and under the direction of the Secretary-General through his Special Representative for a period of seven months, subject to the proviso that it will continue beyond 16 December 1993 only upon a review by the Council based on a report from the Secretary-General on whether or not substantive progress has been made towards the implementation of the Peace Agreement signed at Cotonou on 25 July 199310 and other measures aimed at establishing a lasting peace;
3. Also decides that the Mission shall comprise military observers as well as medical, engineering, communications, transportation and electoral components, in the numbers indicated in the report of’the Secretary-General, together with minimal staff necessary to support it, and shall have the following mandate:
(a) To receive and investigate all reports on alleged incidents of violations of the cease-fire agreement and, if the violation cannot be corrected, to report its findings to the Violation Committee established pursuant to the Peace Agreement, and to the Secretary-General;
(b) To monitor compliance with other elements of the Peace Agreement, including at points on Liberia’s borders with Sierra Leone and other neighbouring countries, and to verify its impartial application, and in particular to assist in the monitoring of compliance with the embargo on delivery of arms and military equipment to Liberia and the cantonment, disarmament and demobilization of combatants;
(c) To observe and verify the election process, including the legislative and presidential elections to be held in accordance with the provisions of the Peace Agreement;
(d) To assist, as appropriate, in the coordination of humanitarian assistance activities in the field in conjunction with the existing United Nations humanitarian relief operation;
(e) To develop a plan and assess financial requirements for the demobilization of combatants;
(j) To report on any major violations of international humanitarian law to the Secretary-General;
(g) To train the Military Observer Group engineers in mine clearance and, in cooperation with the Group, coordinate the identification of mines and assist in the clearance of mines and unexploded bombs;
(h) Without participation in enforcement operations, to co-ordinate with the Military Observer Group in the discharge of the Group’s separate responsibilities both formally, through the Violation Committee, and informally;
4. Welcomes the intention of the Secretary-General to conclude with the Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States an agreement defining, before deployment of the Mission, the roles and responsibilities of the Mission and the Community in the implementation of the Peace Agreement, in accordance with the concept of operations outlined in chapter N of the report of the Secretary-General, and requests the Secretary-General to keep the Council informed on the progress and outcome of the negotiations leading thereto;
5. Encourages African States to provide the additional troops requested from them by the Economic Community of West African States for the Military Observer Group;
6. Welcomes also the steps taken by the Secretary-General to establish a Trust Fund for Liberia, which would facilitate the sending of reinforcements by African States to the Military Observer Group, assist in supporting troops of participating Group countries and also assist in mine-clearing, humanitarian and development activities, as weU as the electoral process, and calls on Member States to support the peace process in Liberia by contributing to the Trust Fund;
7. Urges the Liberian parties to commence the encampment, disarmament and demobilization process without delay;
8. Welcomes the decision to establish the transitional government and urges also the Liberian parties to begin the exercise of that government’s responsibilities concomitantly with the process described in paragraph 7 above and consistent with the Peace Agreement;
9. Calls all the transitional government to conclude expeditiously, and no later than sixty days after its installation, a status of mission agreement with the United Nations to facilitate the full deployment of the Mission;
10. Urges the Liberian parties to finalize the composition of the Elections Commission so that it can promptly undertake the necessary preparations for legislative and presidential elections by March 1994, at the latest, in accordance with the timetable foreseen in the Peace Agreement;
11. Calls on the Liberian parties to cooperate fully in the safe delivery of humanitarian assistance to all parts of the country by the most direct routes, in accordance with the Peace Agreement;
12. Welcomes the stated commitment of the Military Observer Group to ensure the safety of observers and civilian staff of the United Nations Observer Mission in Liberia and urges the Liberian parties to take all necessaiy measures to ensure the security and safety of Mission personnel, as well as of the personnel involved in relief operations, and strictly to abide by applicable rules of international humanitarian law;
13. Requests the Secretary-General to submit progress reports to the Council on the implementation of the present resolution by 16 December 1993 and by 16 February 1994;
14. Decides to remain actively seized of the matter.
Adopted unanimously at the 3281st meeting.
