Presentation to Logistics Branch Association

Ottawa Chapter

Presented by Richard Quinn, MBA CD

LCol - Retired

Former Commander, TF South Sudan

United Nations Mission in South

Sudan

OPERATION SOPRANO

UNMISS – South Sudan

UNMISS – South Sudan Topography

UNMISS- Ethnic/Tribal Makeup

Routes – Roads, River, Rail

UNMISS

6

ABYEI - Disputed Region – Oil

Reserves

UNMISS - Mandate

Acting under Chapter VII of the UN Charter, the

Security Council resolution 1996 (2011) of 8

July 2011 established the United Nations

Mission in the Republic of South Sudan

(UNMISS) for an initial period of one year as

from 9 July 2011 with the intention to renew for

further periods as may be required

UMISS - Tasks

PRIORITY - Protection of civilians

Monitoring human rights and investigating

abuses

Creating the conditions conducive to the

delivery of humanitarian assistance

Supporting the implementation of the

AGREEMENT (2009 Peace Accord)

UNMISS Deployment – June 2013

XX FHQ

INDBAT 2

Legend

:

KENBAT

INDBAT 1

RWABAT

MONBAT

NEPBAT

（-）

JUBA

BOR

RUMBEK

WAU

BENTIU MALAKAL

AWEIL

RAJA

TAMBURA

YAMBIO

PIBOR

TORIT

NASSER

AKOBO

RENK

MELUT

（-）

GUMRUK

YUAI

PARIANG

YIDA

（- 2）

COB

TOB

UNMISS - Op SOPRANO

Team Composition

Issues/Concerns

Threats/Risks

Force Protection/Security/Safety Improvements

Support from CJOC/NSE

Issues/Concerns

UNMISS IssuesCanada House

Team Composition - 12 x CF mbrs

TF Comd - Deputy Chief Mission Support

Centre (JLOC) - LCol/Cdr

Deputy TF Comd - Senior Duty Offr Joint

Operations Centre - Maj

Analyst - Joint Mission Analysis Centre - Capt

Air Threat and Risk Assessment – Aviation -

Capt

Warehouse Manager - Supply Chain - WO

MLOs (Yambio, Raja, Bentiu, Melut, Bor) –

Capts/Majs

NSE - Ops Offr/Adjt & Chief Clerk – Maj &

Sgt/WO

Military Liaison Officers

Not the same role as UN Military Observers

UNMO + Training/Professionaliztion Advisors

Conducted one day/3 day patrols by land

Conducted air patrols

Senior Military Commander for each State (rank

of Colonel)

Canadians were given prominent role where

conflict was frequent (Jonglei/Upper Nile)

UNMISS Cdn Police Advisors

Professionalization (Policing + English)

Humanitarian Relief project

Weekly Ball Hockey Game

BOR

RUMBEK

WAU

BENTIU

MALAKAL

Torit Yambio

Kuajok

AWEIL

JUBA

Renk

Melut

Nassir

Pochalla

Pibor

Akobo Yuai

Lankien

Kapoeta

Ikotos

Pariang

Koch

Panyijar

Mayom

Yirol

Maridi EZO

Raja

Gok Machar

Turalei

YEI

Bunj

Fangak

Maper

Romich

Wulu

Mvolo

Nimule

Narus

Boma

Tambura

Liethnom

Warrap

Mathiang

Kodok

Canadian UN Police Advisors

Deployment 15 NOV 2012

1

2

1

4

9

2

Canadian UN Police Advisors

**Up until end Jan 2013, there were 19 x Canadian Police Officers in the

mission working to professionalize the National Police Force

Proposed CSB Locations FY 2012-2013

AKOBO

PIBOR

KUAJOK

KAPOETA

EZO

PARIANG

MAYOM

GOK-MACHAR

YIROL

KOCH

BORO MEDINA

CSB CSB

COB

NIMULE

BOMA

MARIDI

TURALEI

COB

COB

RENK

NASSER COB

COB

CSB

COB

COB

COB

COB

COB

COB

MELUT

NARUS

TAMBURA

YUAI

PANYIJIAR

BUNJ

MAPER

WULU

ROMICH

WARRAP

TOWN

9 LOCATIONS

4 LOCATIONS

FY 2011-2012

KODOK

RAJA

4 LOCATIONS PLANNED

FOR CSB RECCE

UNMISS Site Summary

PROJECTS

UNDER

CONSTRUCTION

FY 11-12

PLANNED

FY 12-13

CURRENTLY

OPERATIONAL TOTAL

CSBs 7 13* 8 28

STATE HQ 1 - 9 10

DDR 3 7 - 10

COBs 6 6 10 22

Total Sites 17 26 27 60

* Four CSBs delayed from 2011-12 and will be completed in FY 2012-13

Fifteen COBs co-located with State HQs or CSBs – 45 unique locations

Threats and Risks

IED (infrequent but present)

Presidential coup attempts (3)

Robbery

Traffic Accident

Extortion/Detention

Typhoid, Malaria, Dengue Fever, Nile bug

Drunken soldiers/police/armed citizens

UN Helo shot down 21 Dec 2012

UN Patrol + contractors ambushed 9 Apr 2013

CHALLENGES

• Competing priorities

• Wet Season

• Lack of staff

• Skilled or equipped Local contractors and materiel

availability and cost

• Transportation capacity (land and air) – river barges!

• Long haul distances for movement of resources

• Engineering Capacity (LFE/CEC/HMEC)

• Delay in equipment and assets from Kosti and Port of

Mombasa

• Security situation, demining of roads, border concerns

Outreach through Sport

Fund Raising - Ball Hockey

Marathon

Ball Hockey Fund Raising Marathon

Borehole for School

Treats for Troops

Treats for Troops

Canada House

Enclosed rented home

Secondary residence for

MLOs on CTO/Transit

Security and Cleaning

staff live-in

Distance to Tomping - 7

mins drive

Distance to UN House -

~25 mins drive

Canada House

Canada House

Canada House

Canada House

Canada House

Canada House

Canada House

South Sudan – Failed State

Failed State Index 2013 & 2016

2013

#4

2016

#2

UNMISS – Key Events

SPLA soldier shoots down UN Mi-8 helo while

doing emergency landing site recce – 21 Dec 12

UNMISS military patrol and NGO contractor

ambushed – 9 Apr 13

President accuses Vice-President of attempted

coup d’etat – 13 Dec 13

UN fires South Sudan force commander after

damning internal report - 1 Nov 16

South Sudan: Arms Embargo, Sanctions Fail At UN

Security Council – 23 Dec 16

UNMISS – Mandate - Extension

After some earlier SC resolutions extending the

mission, on 12 August 2016 Security Council

adopted resolution 2304 (2016). The council

decided to extend the UNMISS mandate until

15 December 2016, and to authorize UNMISS to

use “all necessary means to carry out its

tasks”.

WHY? The Fight rages on – since Dec 2013 -

this time it is civil war + continued border

skirmishes with Sudan

UNMISS- TROOPS & POLICE

By unanimously adopting resolution 2155

(2014) of 27 May 2014, the Security Council

decided UNMISS would consist of a military

component of up to 12,500 troops of all ranks

and of a police component, including

appropriate Formed Police Units, of up to 1,323

personnel; and authorized UNMISS to use all

necessary means to perform its tasks.

During my year long tour, troop ceiling was set at

7500 and police component of 900

UNMISS – REGIONAL PROTECTION

FORCE

This measure is “exceptional” in nature for the

UNSC

In addition to latest SC resolution, the UNSC

authorized increase the force levels of UNMISS

up to a ceiling of 17,000 troops, including 4,000

for the Regional Protection Force

So what do troop and police force increases

signal to the world?

UNMISS – REGIONAL PROTECTION

FORCE Facilitate the conditions for safe and free movement into,

out of, and around Juba, including through protecting the

means of ingress and egress from the city and major lines

of communication and transport within Juba;

Protect the airport to ensure the airport remains

operational, and protect key facilities in Juba essential to

the well-being of the people of Juba, as identified by the

SRSG;

Promptly and effectively engage any actor that is credibly

found to be preparing attacks, or engages in attacks,

against United Nations protection of civilians sites, other

UN premises, UN personnel, international and national

humanitarian actors, or civilians.

TROOP DEPLOYMENT – DEC 2016

UNMISS – OP SOPRANO

If you can imagine a

crappy place to be

today, it’s South

Sudan

QUESTIONS?