United Nations Security Council Resolution 1497
Encyclopedia
United Nations
Security Council Resolution
1497, adopted on August 1, 2003, after expressing concern at the situation in Liberia
, the Council authorised a multinational force to intervene in the civil war
to support the implementation of a ceasefire
agreement using "all necessary measures".
The resolution was adopted by 12 votes to none against and three abstention
s from France
, Germany
and Mexico
; the three countries supported the intervention but were opposed to demands from the United States
in the resolution that exempted soldiers from countries not party to the Rome Statute
of the International Criminal Court
(ICC) from its jurisdiction
.
, humanitarian workers
and the well-being for civilians, including children. It recalled the obligation of the Liberian parties to the ceasefire agreement signed in Accra
, Ghana
on June 17, 2003 and of demands contained in Resolution 1343
(2001) to prevent armed groups from using the territory of states to attack others and destabilise the border regions between Guinea
, Liberia and Sierra Leone
.
Determining the situation in Liberia to be a threat to international peace and security, the Council commended the Economic Community of West African States
(ECOWAS) for its efforts and recalled the Secretary-General Kofi Annan
's request to deploy an international force in Liberia. Since the request there were disputes over the funding of the mission and who would participate.
, the Council authorised the establishment of a multinational force in Liberia to support the implementation of the June 17 ceasefire agreement. At the same time, it would maintain security following the departure of President Charles Taylor and the installation of a successor authority; create conditions for disarmament
, demobilisation
and reintegration activities and the delivery of humanitarian aid; and prepare for the deployment of a long-term peacekeeping force (later known as the United Nations Mission in Liberia
) by October 1, 2003.
The United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone
(UNAMSIL) was asked to give logisitical support for a limited 30 day period to ECOWAS elements of the multinational force in Liberia without compromising its mandate
in Sierra Leone
. States participating in the multinational force could use all necessary measures to fulfil its mandate and all states were asked to contribute to the operation. Meanwhile, soldiers of countries participating in the multinational force that were not party to the ICC were exempted from its jurisdiction. An arms embargo
imposed on Liberia would not apply to equipment destined for use by the force, while all states in the region were asked to refrain from actions that could destabilise the borders between Côte d'Ivoire
, Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.
The resolution called upon all countries and Liberian parties to co-operate with the multinational force and to ensure the safety and freedom of movement
of both the force and humanitarian personnel. The Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy
and Movement for Democracy in Liberia
were urged to uphold the June 17 ceasefire agreement, end violence, agree to an inclusive political framework for a transitional government and refrain from seizing power by force.
The measures in the resolution would be reviewed within 30 days and requested the Secretary-General, through his Special Representative
, to report periodically on the situation in Liberia to the Council.
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"....
1497, adopted on August 1, 2003, after expressing concern at the situation in Liberia
Liberia
Liberia , officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Sierra Leone on the west, Guinea on the north and Côte d'Ivoire on the east. Liberia's coastline is composed of mostly mangrove forests while the more sparsely populated inland consists of forests that open...
, the Council authorised a multinational force to intervene in the civil war
Second Liberian Civil War
The Second Liberian Civil War began in 1999 when a rebel group backed by the government of neighbouring Guinea, the Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy , emerged in northern Liberia. In early 2003, a second rebel group, the Movement for Democracy in Liberia, emerged in the south, and...
to support the implementation of a ceasefire
Ceasefire
A ceasefire is a temporary stoppage of a war in which each side agrees with the other to suspend aggressive actions. Ceasefires may be declared as part of a formal treaty, but they have also been called as part of an informal understanding between opposing forces...
agreement using "all necessary measures".
The resolution was adopted by 12 votes to none against and three abstention
Abstention
Abstention is a term in election procedure for when a participant in a vote either does not go to vote or, in parliamentary procedure, is present during the vote, but does not cast a ballot. Abstention must be contrasted with "blank vote", in which a voter casts a ballot willfully made invalid by...
s from France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
; the three countries supported the intervention but were opposed to demands from the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in the resolution that exempted soldiers from countries not party to the Rome Statute
Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court
The Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court is the treaty that established the International Criminal Court . It was adopted at a diplomatic conference in Rome on 17 July 1998 and it entered into force on 1 July 2002. As of 13 October 2011, 119 states are party to the statute...
of the International Criminal Court
International Criminal Court
The International Criminal Court is a permanent tribunal to prosecute individuals for genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression .It came into being on 1 July 2002—the date its founding treaty, the Rome Statute of the...
(ICC) from its jurisdiction
Jurisdiction
Jurisdiction is the practical authority granted to a formally constituted legal body or to a political leader to deal with and make pronouncements on legal matters and, by implication, to administer justice within a defined area of responsibility...
.
Observations
The Security Council stressed the need to create a secure environment with respect for human rightsHuman 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...
, humanitarian workers
Humanitarian aid
Humanitarian aid is material or logistical assistance provided for humanitarian purposes, typically in response to humanitarian crises including natural disaster and man-made disaster. The primary objective of humanitarian aid is to save lives, alleviate suffering, and maintain human dignity...
and the well-being for civilians, including children. It recalled the obligation of the Liberian parties to the ceasefire agreement signed in Accra
Accra
Accra is the capital and largest city of Ghana, with an urban population of 1,658,937 according to the 2000 census. Accra is also the capital of the Greater Accra Region and of the Accra Metropolitan District, with which it is coterminous...
, Ghana
Ghana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
on June 17, 2003 and of demands contained in Resolution 1343
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1343
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1343, adopted unanimously on March 7, 2001, after recalling resolutions on Sierra Leone and the region, including resolutions 1132 , 1171 and 1306 , the Council demanded that Liberia end its support for rebels in Sierra Leone and threatened the imposition...
(2001) to prevent armed groups from using the territory of states to attack others and destabilise the border regions between Guinea
Guinea
Guinea , officially the Republic of Guinea , is a country in West Africa. Formerly known as French Guinea , it is today sometimes called Guinea-Conakry to distinguish it from its neighbour Guinea-Bissau. Guinea is divided into eight administrative regions and subdivided into thirty-three prefectures...
, Liberia and Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone , officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Guinea to the north and east, Liberia to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west and southwest. Sierra Leone covers a total area of and has an estimated population between 5.4 and 6.4...
.
Determining the situation in Liberia to be a threat to international peace and security, the Council commended the Economic Community of West African States
Economic Community of West African States
The Economic Community of West African States is a regional group of fifteen West African countries. Founded on 28 May 1975, with the signing of the Treaty of Lagos, its mission is to promote economic integration across the region....
(ECOWAS) for its efforts and recalled the Secretary-General Kofi Annan
Kofi Annan
Kofi Atta Annan is a Ghanaian diplomat who served as the seventh Secretary-General of the UN from 1 January 1997 to 31 December 2006...
's request to deploy an international force in Liberia. Since the request there were disputes over the funding of the mission and who would participate.
Acts
Acting under Chapter VII of the United Nations CharterChapter VII of the United Nations Charter
Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter sets out the UN Security Council's powers to maintain peace. It allows the Council to "determine the existence of any threat to the peace, breach of the peace, or act of aggression" and to take military and nonmilitary action to "restore international peace...
, the Council authorised the establishment of a multinational force in Liberia to support the implementation of the June 17 ceasefire agreement. At the same time, it would maintain security following the departure of President Charles Taylor and the installation of a successor authority; create conditions for disarmament
Disarmament
Disarmament is the act of reducing, limiting, or abolishing weapons. Disarmament generally refers to a country's military or specific type of weaponry. Disarmament is often taken to mean total elimination of weapons of mass destruction, such as nuclear arms...
, demobilisation
Demobilization
Demobilization is the process of standing down a nation's armed forces from combat-ready status. This may be as a result of victory in war, or because a crisis has been peacefully resolved and military force will not be necessary...
and reintegration activities and the delivery of humanitarian aid; and prepare for the deployment of a long-term peacekeeping force (later known as the United Nations Mission in Liberia
United Nations Mission in Liberia
The United Nations Mission in Liberia is a peace-keeping force established in September 2003 to monitor a ceasefire agreement in Liberia following the resignation of President Charles Taylor and the conclusion of the Second Liberian Civil War....
) by October 1, 2003.
The United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone
United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone
The United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone was a United Nations peacekeeping operation in Sierra Leone from 1999 to 2005. It was created by the United Nations Security Council in October 1999 to help with the implementation of the Lomé Peace Accord, an agreement intended to end the Sierra Leonean...
(UNAMSIL) was asked to give logisitical support for a limited 30 day period to ECOWAS elements of the multinational force in Liberia without compromising its mandate
Mandate (international law)
In international law, a mandate is a binding obligation issued from an inter-governmental organization like the United Nations to a country which is bound to follow the instructions of the organization....
in Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone , officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Guinea to the north and east, Liberia to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west and southwest. Sierra Leone covers a total area of and has an estimated population between 5.4 and 6.4...
. States participating in the multinational force could use all necessary measures to fulfil its mandate and all states were asked to contribute to the operation. Meanwhile, soldiers of countries participating in the multinational force that were not party to the ICC were exempted from its jurisdiction. An arms embargo
Arms embargo
An arms embargo is an embargo that applies to weaponry. It may also include "dual use" items. An arms embargo may serve one or more purposes:# to signal disapproval of behavior by a certain actor,# to maintain neutral standing in an ongoing conflict, or...
imposed on Liberia would not apply to equipment destined for use by the force, while all states in the region were asked to refrain from actions that could destabilise the borders between Côte d'Ivoire
Côte d'Ivoire
The Republic of Côte d'Ivoire or Ivory Coast is a country in West Africa. It has an area of , and borders the countries Liberia, Guinea, Mali, Burkina Faso and Ghana; its southern boundary is along the Gulf of Guinea. The country's population was 15,366,672 in 1998 and was estimated to be...
, Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.
The resolution called upon all countries and Liberian parties to co-operate with the multinational force and to ensure the safety and freedom of movement
Freedom of movement
Freedom of movement, mobility rights or the right to travel is a human right concept that the constitutions of numerous states respect...
of both the force and humanitarian personnel. The Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy
Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy
The Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy was a rebel group in Liberia that was active from 1999 until after the peace accords that ended the Second Liberian Civil War in 2003...
and Movement for Democracy in Liberia
Movement for Democracy in Liberia
The Movement for Democracy in Liberia was a rebel group in Liberia that became active in March 2003, launching attacks from Côte d'Ivoire...
were urged to uphold the June 17 ceasefire agreement, end violence, agree to an inclusive political framework for a transitional government and refrain from seizing power by force.
The measures in the resolution would be reviewed within 30 days and requested the Secretary-General, through his Special Representative
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...
, to report periodically on the situation in Liberia to the Council.
See also
- List of United Nations Security Council Resolutions 1401 to 1500 (2002 – 2003)
- Second Liberian Civil WarSecond Liberian Civil WarThe Second Liberian Civil War began in 1999 when a rebel group backed by the government of neighbouring Guinea, the Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy , emerged in northern Liberia. In early 2003, a second rebel group, the Movement for Democracy in Liberia, emerged in the south, and...
- Siege of MonroviaSiege of MonroviaThe Siege of Monrovia, which occurred in Monrovia, Liberia between July 18 and August 14, 2003, was a major military confrontation between the Armed Forces of Liberia and LURD rebels during the Second Liberian Civil War. The shelling of the city resulted in the deaths of some 1,000 civilians....