ONE YEAR RENEWAL FOR UNIPSIL; DRUGS, YOUTH

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 000848 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL UNSC XY SL SUBJECT: ONE YEAR RENEWAL FOR UNIPSIL; DRUGS, YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT ARE BIG THREATS ¶1. (U) SUMMARY. The Security Council discussed the UN Integrated Peacebuilding Office in Sierra Leone (UNIPSIL) on September 14 and on September 15 unanimously renewed UNIPSIL's mandate for an additional year. Ambassador Rice highlighted drug trafficking and youth unemployment as risks to sub-regional peace and security. In a separate briefing to the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC),UNIPSIL Head Schulenburg noted the utility of the PBC for issues not taken up by the Security Council and urged support for fisheries protection. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (U) UNIPSIL head Michael von der Schulenburg told the Security Council in an open session on September 14 that UNIPSIL was working to increase national ownership and better aid coordination. He outlined how UNIPSIL's "light footprint" would enable a smooth transition to a UN resident coordinator, and stressed that the peace in Sierra Leone was fragile. ¶3. (U) Canadian PermRep John McNee, as chair of the Peacebuilding Commission's (PBC) Country-Specific Configuration on Sierra Leone, said that PBC funds were being used to support the reconciliation efforts of the Joint Communique (created in response to the political violence in March). Sierra Leone's PermRep Shekou Touray welcomed the UNIPSIL mandate extension, but said existing benchmarks for UNIPSIL were sufficient. He underlined that additional benchmarks would require the support of the GOSL and all stakeholders, which may not be readily forthcoming. ¶4. (SBU) The meeting continued in closed consultations. The UK requested UNIPSIL to create an exit plan with benchmarks so that the Council would be aware when UNIPSIL finishes its tasks (this request was incorporated in the new mandate). Ambassador Rice praised the integrated approach of UNIPSIL to peacebuilding, and also highlighted the threats of youth unemployment and drug trafficking. In conclusion, she praised the work of the Special Court of Sierra Leone, especially its efforts to transfer institutional knowledge to the GOSL. All Council members voiced support for the peacebuilding mission. Following the meeting, Rice told the press, in her role as President of the Council, that several Council members were looking forward to reviewing the report on allegations of politically motivated rape. ¶5. (U) UNIPSIL's mandate was extended until September 30, 2010, by a unanimous vote of the Council on September 15, under S/RES/1886. ¶6. (SBU) ERSG Schulenburg met with the Peacebuilding Commission on September 15. He said that in Freetown, the government and donors agreed that the PBC has a useful role to play in encouraging greater coherence in external assistance, and he was puzzled that, while in New York, he continued to hear questions regarding the PBC's utility in Sierra Leone. He argued that the PBC, not the Security Council, was the right UN organ to discuss international support for Sierra Leone's "Agenda for Change" (the GOSL's security and poverty reduction strategy). Schulenburg also promised to work with Canada, the PBC Chair for Sierra Leone, on organizing a donor's conference on providing in-kind and technical support. In a private meeting with EconOff, Schulenburg urged USG support in building domestic capacity for patrolling coastal waters against illegal fishing, noting that the Mano River Union (MRU) could create a regional patrol strategy. RICE