United Nations Mission in Liberia
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The United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL ) is the running since 2003, the United Nations operation in Liberia.
Background
Liberia's President Charles Taylor came to international pressure and because the warring factions against him now controlled a large part of the country, on 11 August 2003 from his office and went into exile in Nigeria. Out of a peacekeeping force of the West African Economic Community ECOWAS as well as a small contingent of the United States Marine Corps stationed in the country.
Tasks
The Resolution 1509 of the UN Security Council, which was adopted on 19 September 2003, created the legal basis for the mission UNMIL, to guarantee the security in Liberia until the restoration of constitutional order. The troop strength was set at 15,000 troops and 1,115 police officers. The effective strength was 14,541 soldiers in December 2004.
The mission is to allow the refugees to return and disarm the various rebel groups. For this purpose, it is to coordinate rebuilding state institutions and torn by civil war economy.
By resolution 2116 of the UN Security Council on 18 September 2013, the mandate was redefined and extended to 30 September 2014.
Course
The mission began on 1 October 2003. Approximately 3,600 soldiers from the ECOWAS were taken. Head of Mission with the title of the Special Envoy of the UN Secretary General was initially Jacques Paul Klein (USA ) until 20 July 2005 to mid-January 2008, the Briton Alan Doss took over the leadership of UNMIL. Successor is the Dane Ellen Margrethe Løj, former ambassador of their country at the United Nations ( UN) and chairman of the sanctions committee of the UN for Liberia. Since February 1, 2012, the mission of Moustapha Soumaré ( Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary - General for Recovery and Governance ) and Louis M. Aucoin ( Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary - General for Rule of Law ) is performed.
Of the approximately 330,000 refugees in neighboring countries Liberians returned to April 2005, approximately 114,000 back. In addition, the number of IDPs was estimated at 450,000, of which could return more than one third in their homes or resettled.
On 11 October 2005 presidential elections were held. Since no candidate won an absolute majority, a second ballot between the top two candidates, Ellen Johnson -Sirleaf and George Weah on 8 November 2005 was necessary, in which the former prevailed. The replacement of the office since October 2005 Interim President Gyude Bryant was held in January 2006: Johnson -Sirleaf became the first female head of state in Africa.
In November 2005, the Security Council authorized UNMIL, former President Taylor to arrest and to provide to the Special Court for Sierra Leone in Freetown, if he should return to Liberia. Taylor was arrested on 29 March 2006 when leaving his exile in Nigeria near the border with Cameroon and imprisoned in Sierra Leone. For security reasons, the process was moved to the Netherlands and officially opened on 4 June 2007. On 26 April 2012, the judge declared him guilty. Taylor is the first African head of state who has been held accountable by an international tribunal for war crimes.
Since 1 May 2005, Germany supported the mission. A THW team was responsible for the maintenance and repair of generators of the UN peacekeeping force, and thus ensured the power supply of the peacekeeping mission. The Agency for Technical Relief ended its use on 1 August 2007 in Liberia. Even five German officers assist the local police.
Participating States
Overall, 49 states participate in the mission, including
- Originally ECOWAS contingent: Benin - Gambia - Ghana - Guinea- Bissau - Mali - Nigeria - Senegal - Togo
- More quotas: Ethiopia - Bangladesh - China - Germany - Ireland - Jordan - Namibia - Nepal - Pakistan - Philippines - Sweden - Ukraine