Operation SOPRANO

Operation SOPRANO is Canada's participation in the United Nations Mission in the Republic of South Sudan (UNMISS).

Task Force South Sudan

Task Force South Sudan consists of 14 CF personnel who work as staff officers and military liaison officers at UNMISS force headquarters in Juba and at various locations throughout the Republic of South Sudan.

Mission context

Independence in South Sudan

On 9 July 2011, South Sudan became an independent republic with its capital at Juba on the White Nile. Its separation from the Republic of Sudan was accomplished through a referendum held between 9 and 15 January 2011 in which the overwhelming majority of participants — 98.83 percent — voted for independence.

The 2011 independence referendum was the climax of a six-year process of reconciliation and negotiation that began in 2005 with the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement between the Government of Sudan and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army, which ended more than 20 years of civil war.

Implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement was supported and monitored by the United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) during the six-year interim period leading up to the independence referendum. In authorizing the new mission – UNMISS – the U.N. Security Council determined that the situation in South Sudan continues to constitute a threat to international peace and security in the region.

UNMISS and its mandate

UNMISS was established on 9 July 2011 by the authority of U.N. Security Council Resolution 1996 (2011) under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter. The mission will run for an initial period of one year from 9 July 2011, with the intention to renew for further periods if necessary.

The primary elements of the UNMISS mandate are:

• Support for peace consolidation to foster longer-term state-building and economic development;
• Support to the Government of the Republic of South Sudan in exercising its responsibilities for conflict prevention, mitigation and resolution, and for protecting civilians; and
• Support to the Government of the Republic of South Sudan in developing its capacity to provide security, to establish rule of law, and to strengthen the security and justice sectors.

UNMISS personnel

UNMISS has an authorized personnel strength of up to 7,000 military personnel, including liaison officers and staff officers; up to 900 civilian police, and an appropriate civilian component.

At present, the mission includes military personnel from 45 nations and police from 31 nations. Eighteen nations — Australia, Bangladesh, China, El Salvador, Fiji, Germany, India, Malaysia, Namibia, Nepal, Nigeria, Norway, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Uganda,Ukraine and Zambia — deploy both military and police contingents to UNMISS.

Other Canadian Forces operations in the Sudans

The Canadian Forces has been active in Sudan and South Sudan since the beginning of Operation SAFARI on 15 June 2004, when the initial rotation of Canadian Forces members deployed to serve with the United Nations Advance Mission in Sudan (UNAMIS), the forerunner mission that laid the foundation for the United Nations Mission in the Sudan (UNMIS). Under Operation SAFARI, 12 rotations of Canadian Forces members served with UNMIS; most were forward-deployed around the country as United Nations Military Observers, and a few served as specialized staff advisors at UNMIS Headquarters in Juba and Khartoum.

In 2005, when the African Union deployed a peace mission to Sudan’s western province of Darfur, the Canadian Forces mounted Operation AUGURAL to support the effort by providing armoured vehicles to three of the African Union contingents. In 2008, when the African Union mission gave way to the United Nations-African Union hybrid mission in Darfur (UNAMID), the Canadian Forces participation changed to Operation SATURN, which continues at El Fasher.

Related links

Government of Canada

Operation SATURN (Canadian Expeditionary Force Command)
Operation SAFARI (Canadian Expeditionary Force Command)
Operation AUGURAL (Canadian Expeditionary Force Command)
Canada: Active in the Sudans (Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade)
The Sudans – CIDA (Canadian International Development Agency)

International missions

United Nations Mission in the Republic of South Sudan (United Nations)
United Nations Mission in the Sudan (United Nations)

Pertinent documents

United Nations Security Council Resolution 1996 (8 July 2011) (United Nations)
Charter of the United Nations: Chapter VII: Action with Respect to Threats to the Peace, Breaches of the Peace and Acts of Aggression (United Nations)
Comprehensive Peace Agreement (United Nations)