United Nations Security Council resolution 1508, adopted unanimously on 19 September 2003, after recalling all previous resolutions on the situation in

Sierra Leone Sierra Leone,)]. officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country on the southwest coast of West Africa. It is bordered by Liberia to the southeast and Guinea surrounds the northern half of the nation. Covering a total area of , Sierra ...

, the Council extended the mandate of the

United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone The United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) was a United Nations peacekeeping operation in Sierra Leone from 1999 to 2006. It was created by the United Nations Security Council in October 1999 to help with the implementation of the Lom� ...

(UNAMSIL) for six months until 31 March 2004. The resolution stated that stability in Sierra Leone would depend on the situation in neighbouring Liberia. On the same day, the Security Council adopted Resolution 1509 (2003) establishing the

United Nations Mission in Liberia The United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) was a peacekeeping operation established in September 2003 to monitor a ceasefire agreement in Liberia following the resignation of President Charles Taylor and the conclusion of the Second Liberia ...

Resolution

Observations

The Security Council welcomed the stabilising security situation in Sierra Leone and noted that its stability would depend on peace in the region, particularly in

Liberia Liberia (), officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country on the West African coast. It is bordered by Sierra Leone to Liberia–Sierra Leone border, its northwest, Guinea to its north, Ivory Coast to its east, and the Atlantic Ocean ...

which was experiencing its second civil war. It stressed the importance of establishing authority throughout Sierra Leone, including the diamond fields in addition to the reintegration of ex-combatants, the return of

refugee A refugee, conventionally speaking, is a displaced person who has crossed national borders and who cannot or is unwilling to return home due to well-founded fear of persecution.

s and

internally displaced person An internally displaced person (IDP) is someone who is forced to leave their home but who remains within their country's borders. They are often referred to as refugees, although they do not fall within the legal definitions of a refugee. A ...

s and respect for human rights and the

rule of law The rule of law is the political philosophy that all citizens and institutions within a country, state, or community are accountable to the same laws, including lawmakers and leaders. The rule of law is defined in the ''Encyclopedia Britannica ...

Acts

Extending UNAMSIL's mandate for an additional six months, the Council thanked countries contributing to the force and UNAMSIL for adjustments to its size, composition and deployment in accordance with resolutions

1436 Year 1436 ( MCDXXXVI) was a leap year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events January–December * January 11 – Eric of Pomerania is deposed from the Swedish throne for the second t ...

(2002) and

1492 Year 1492 ( MCDXCII) was a leap year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. 1492 is considered to be a significant year in the history of the West, Europe, Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Spain, and the Ne ...

(2003). The resolution stressed that the development of administrative capabilities of the Sierra Leonean government was essential to long-term peace. Additionally, the government was urged to increase control of diamond mining. Meanwhile, the Council expressed concern at the serious financial situation of the

Special Court for Sierra Leone The Special Court for Sierra Leone, or the "Special Court" (SCSL), also called the Sierra Leone Tribunal, was a judicial body set up by the government of Sierra Leone and the United Nations to "prosecute persons who bear the greatest responsibil ...

and countries were asked to contribute generously to both the Court and Truth and Reconciliation Commission. The presidents of the

Mano River Union The Mano River Union (MRU) is an international association initially established between Liberia and Sierra Leone by the 3 October 1973 Mano River Declaration. It is named for the Mano River which begins in the Guinea highlands and forms a border ...

to resume dialogue and commitments aimed at strengthening regional peace and security. The Council welcomed the deployment of forces from the

Economic Community of West African States The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS; also known as in French and Portuguese) is a regional political union, political and economic union of fifteen countries located in West Africa. Collectively, these countries comprise an ...

(ECOWAS) to Liberia, supported by UNAMSIL. It demanded that armed groups in Liberia end incursions into Sierra Leone, urging the

Sierra Leone Armed Forces The Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF) are the armed forces of Sierra Leone, responsible for the territorial security of Sierra Leone's borders and defending the national interests of Sierra Leone, within the framework of the 1991 S ...

and UNAMSIL to patrol the border. Finally, the Secretary-General was to keep the situation in Sierra Leone under review.

References

External links

*
Text of the Resolution at undocs.org
{{UNSCR 2003 1508 2003 in Sierra Leone 1508 Sierra Leone Civil War 1508 2003 in Liberia September 2003 events

Resolution

Observations

Acts

See also

References

External links