The United Nations Security Council has adopted a resolution extending the UN peacekeeping mission in South Sudan for one year, while also reducing its size, despite opposition from several member states.
The resolution, passed with 13 votes in favor and abstentions from Russia and China, extends the mission’s mandate until April 30, 2027.
However, the mission—originally deployed in 2011 when South Sudan gained independence—will see its troop ceiling reduced. Under the new decision, the maximum number of peacekeepers will be set at 12,500 troops, down from 17,000, in addition to around 2,100 police personnel.
The reduction in troop levels has drawn criticism from several countries, including China, Russia, Pakistan, and the three African members currently on the Council: Somalia, Liberia, and Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Despite the new ceiling, the change will not significantly affect the current number of deployed troops. Due to earlier budget cuts, the mission had already been downsized, with about 9,000 troops on the ground as of late March, compared to roughly 14,000 a year earlier, according to UN figures.
South Sudan, the world’s youngest country, gained independence from Sudan in 2011 but has since been plagued by a series of violent conflicts.
