VZCZCXYZ0000
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUCNDT #0848 2642036
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 212036Z SEP 09
FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7200
INFO RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY

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