               United Nations                                                                 S/RES/2065 (2012)
               Security Council                                               Distr.: General
                                                                              12 September 2012




               Resolution 2065 (2012)
               Adopted by the Security Council at its 6831st meeting, on
               12 September 2012

                    The Security Council,
                    Recalling its previous resolutions and the statements of its President
               concerning the situation in Sierra Leone, in particular resolution 2005 (2011) and
               Presidential Statement 11 (2012),
                    Welcoming the ninth report of the Secretary-General dated 4 September 2012
               (S/2012/679) and taking note of its recommendations,
                     Welcoming the steady progress achieved by the Government and people of
               Sierra Leone towards achieving peace and stability and in laying the ground for
               Sierra Leone’s long-term development,
                    Welcoming the efforts made in preparation for the presidential, parliamentary
               and local elections on 17 November 2012, in particular, signing of the “Declaration
               on the 2012 elections” by Sierra Leone’s major stakeholders, successful conduct of
               the voter registration, efforts to improve police mobility and effectiveness,
               inauguration of the Electoral Offences Courts, adoption of the Public Elections Law,
               and efforts to promote political participation and tolerance among the civil society,
                     Underlining the importance of these elections and the wide acceptance of the
               results as a key benchmark for consolidation of peace in Sierra Leone, further
               underlining the need for all national and international stakeholders to continue
               efforts to foster an environment that is conducive to the holding of inclusive,
               peaceful and credible elections, and emphasizing the need for national authorities to
               remain committed to inclusive political dialogue and to providing a conducive
               security environment for the elections, and further emphasizing the important and
               positive role that the media can play through accurate and balanced reporting,
                     Welcoming the important role played by the United Nations Integrated
               Peacebuilding Office in Sierra Leone (UNIPSIL), the United Nations country team,
               bilateral and international partners in supporting Sierra Leone to prepare for the
               elections, noting in particular efforts to improve the capacity and effectiveness of
               the national democratic, electoral and security institutions, promote inclusive
               political dialogue between the national stakeholders, promote a culture of
               non-violence and ensure the safe, full and equal participation of all sections of
               society, in particular women in the electoral process, and emphasizing the need for

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               Sierra Leone’s partners to continue providing technical, financial and political
               support to the electoral process, including through the provision of electoral
               observers,
                    Welcoming the steady progress the Government has made in implementing the
               Agenda for Change, in particular steps taken to sustain macroeconomic stability,
               promote gender equality, improve youth engagement, improve access to justice and
               human rights and strengthen the Government’s management of the extractive
               industries, and commending the valuable contribution of UNIPSIL, the United
               Nations country team and the international community to the peacebuilding and
               development priorities in Sierra Leone, and in particular through the integrated
               United Nations Joint Vision and the Transitional Joint Vision,
                     Recognizing the continuing challenges posed by transnational organized crime,
               including illicit activities such as money-laundering and drug trafficking, and
               corruption, welcoming the progress made by the Anti-Corruption Commission and
               the Transnational Organized Crime Unit (TOCU), under the West Africa Coast
               Initiative (WACI), and emphasizing the need for continued national and
               international support to the TOCU in order to ensure its sustainability,
                     Commending the Government for recognising the important role of women in
               the prevention and resolution of conflicts and in peacebuilding, and its efforts to
               implement the Security Council Resolutions on Women, Peace and Security and on
               sexual and gender-based violence, and welcoming the launch of a National Gender
               Strategic Plan, the establishment of the National Committee on Gender-Based
               Violence and the adoption of the Sexual Offences Act,
                     Welcoming current efforts to develop Sierra Leone’s Agenda for Prosperity,
               including through the conduct of a fragility assessment under the New Deal for
               Engagement in Fragile States, emphasizing the need to retain the peace, security and
               development nexus in future planning to ensure that progress achieved thus far is
               sustained, and further emphasizing the importance of continued integrated support
               of the United Nations system, bilateral and international partners to the Agenda for
               Prosperity, in order to ensure that international support is delivered in a coordinated
               and effective manner,
                     Reiterating its appreciation for the work of the Special Court for Sierra Leone,
               welcoming the verdict in the trial of Charles Taylor and taking note of the proposed
               appeals, calling upon Member States to contribute generously to the Court and to
               the implementation of the Residual Special Court for Sierra Leone Agreement,
                     Recalling that the responsibility for controlling the circulation of small arms
               and light weapons within the territory of Sierra Leone and between Sierra Leone and
               neighbouring States rests with the relevant governmental authorities in accordance
               with the Economic Community of West African States Convention on Small Arms
               and Light Weapons of 2006, taking note of the adoption of the Arms and
               Ammunitions Act and reiterating the need for further progress on the
               implementation of the national action plan on Small Arms,
                    Welcoming the role played by the African Union, the Economic Community of
               West African States and the Mano River Union, in support of Sierra Leone’s
               peacebuilding and development goals, and encouraging these and other regional
               organizations to continue their dialogue aimed at consolidating regional peace and
               security,


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                Welcoming the role of the Peacebuilding Commission and the Peacebuilding
           Fund in supporting peacebuilding efforts in Sierra Leone,
                1.    Decides that the mandate of UNIPSIL, as set out in resolution 2005
           (2011), shall be extended until 31 March 2013;
                 2.   Calls upon the Government of Sierra Leone, all political parties and their
           supporters, as well as the Sierra Leonean people, including the media, to continue to
           foster an environment that is conducive to the holding of peaceful, inclusive and
           credible elections, including through open, genuine and inclusive dialogue to
           address possible differences, and to respect the outcome of the elections;
                3.    Calls upon the Government of Sierra Leone to ensure that its security
           agencies, in particular the Sierra Leone Police, respond in an impartial,
           proportionate and effective way to security threats during and after the elections,
           and remain committed to upholding human rights and applicable international law;
           and urges the Government to accelerate efforts to establish the Independent Police
           Complaints Commission and to address the recommendations of the Shears-Moses
           Inquiry report;
                 4.  Calls upon all political parties to promote a culture of non-violence,
           including by ensuring full implementation of the provisions of the 2 April 2009
           Joint Communiqué, ensure their supporters adhere to the political parties code of
           conduct, honour the agreement reached in the 18 May 2012 “Declaration on the
           2012 elections”, refrain from manipulating children in electoral processes and
           continue to engage in dialogue through the Political Parties Registration
           Commission and other relevant forums;
                 5.   Calls upon Sierra Leone’s electoral institutions, in particular the National
           Electoral Commission and the Political Parties Registration Commission to ensure
           that the preparations and conduct of the elections proceed in a peaceful, inclusive
           and credible manner, including through the full participation of women both as
           voters and as candidates, strengthen voter information and education, promote
           dialogue to resolve conflicts as well as political tolerance and non-violence; urges
           the Independent Media Commission to ensure compliance with the Media Code of
           Practice, and emphasizes the need for media practitioners to remain committed to
           providing professional, independent, and factual coverage and to promoting public
           education and dialogue during the electoral period;
                 6.    Requests UNIPSIL, in conjunction with the United Nations country team
           and the international community, to continue providing assistance to the
           Government and its electoral, democratic and security institutions, as requested, in
           the preparation and conduct of the elections and to continue providing advice and
           assistance to all relevant stakeholders, including civil society and the media, in
           order to ensure that they are able to make a positive contribution to the electoral
           process; further requests UNIPSIL to provide assistance to conflict prevention and
           mitigation efforts, including through promoting the role of women in conflict
           prevention and supporting genuine and inclusive dialogue among political parties,
           the Government and all relevant stakeholders; finally requests the Secretary-General
           to provide a briefing to the Council on the conduct and outcome of the elections
           shortly after their completion;
                7.    Emphasizes that the Government of Sierra Leone bears the primary
           responsibility for peacebuilding and long-term development in the country, and


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               urges the national authorities to continue implementation of the Agenda for Change
               until it expires;
                     8.   Urges the Government to continue its efforts to hold regular, inclusive
               and genuine dialogue with all relevant national and international stakeholders on
               Sierra Leone’s peacebuilding and development goals; and further urges the
               Government to ensure that the forthcoming Agenda for Prosperity continues to build
               on progress achieved in strengthening the political, security, justice and human
               rights institutions in the country, including through implementation of the
               recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and Sierra Leone’s
               Universal Periodic Review;
                     9.    Calls upon the Government of Sierra Leone to continue enhancing the
               effectiveness of the Transnational Organized Crime Unit, including by addressing
               concerns about its sustainability and to strengthen coordination with regional
               countries through the WACI, and further calls upon the Government to continue its
               efforts to strengthen the Anti-Corruption Commission and improve the management
               of the extractive industries;
                    10. Encourages the Government of Sierra Leone to continue implementing
               the National Gender Strategic Plan and the Sierra Leone National Action Plan to
               address Gender-Based Violence; and further encourages the Government to
               continue efforts to improve youth employment and empowerment and reduce
               socioeconomic inequalities;
                     11. Requests UNIPSIL, in conjunction with the United Nations country team,
               and bilateral and international partners, to continue providing integrated support to
               Sierra Leone to meet its peacebuilding and development priorities, as outlined in the
               Agenda for Change, including through strengthening capacity building of national
               political, security, human rights and rule of law institutions, promoting good
               governance and accountability, promoting gender and social equality, strengthening
               human rights protection, supporting efforts to improve youth empowerment and
               strengthening efforts to tackle transnational organized crime including illicit
               activities such as money-laundering and drug trafficking;
                     12. Requests UNIPSIL, in conjunction with the United Nations country team,
               bilateral and international partners, to continue engaging constructively with the
               Sierra Leone national authorities in the formulation of the Agenda for Prosperity and
               in coordinating an integrated international response to it, in order to ensure that the
               efforts by the United Nations, bilateral and international partners on the ground
               continue to be coherent and effectively coordinated;
                     13. Encourages the Peacebuilding Commission to continue providing
               support to the Government of Sierra Leone, UNIPSIL and the United Nations
               country team in the preparation and conduct of the 2012 elections, to advocate for
               the continued implementation of the Agenda for Change until it expires, the
               balanced development of the Agenda for Prosperity and the strengthening of
               mechanisms aimed at ensuring the timeliness and predictability of national and
               international funding for peacebuilding and development priorities, including
               through promoting increased South-South cooperation; and requests the
               Peacebuilding Commission to keep the Council regularly updated on progress made
               and to review its engagement with Sierra Leone following the successful completion
               of the elections and in line with the drawdown of UNIPSIL;



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                 14. Requests UNIPSIL, in collaboration with the United Nations country
           team, the Government of Sierra Leone and bilateral and international partners to
           continue preparations for the transition of UNIPSIL, and in this regard requests the
           Secretary-General to deploy an inter-agency technical assessment mission to Sierra
           Leone to conduct a review of progress made in the implementation of UNIPSIL’s
           mandate and to provide a report, for the consideration of the Council, containing
           detailed proposals and a recommended timeline for the transition, drawdown and
           exit strategy of UNIPSIL by no later than 15 February 2013;
                15.   Decides to remain actively seized of the matter.




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