S/RES/1497 (2003)
Security Council Distr.: General
1 August 2003
03-44948 (E)
*0344948*
Resolution 1497 (2003)
Adopted by the Security Council at its 4803rd meeting, on
1 August 2003
The Security Council,
Deeply concerned over the conflict in Liberia and its effects on the
humanitarian situation, including the tragic loss of countless innocent lives, in that
country, and its destabilizing effect on the region,
Stressing the need to create a secure environment that enables respect for
human rights, including the well-being and rehabilitation of children, protects the
well-being of civilians, and supports the mission of humanitarian workers,
Reminding the parties of their obligations under the Liberian ceasefire
agreement, signed in Accra, 17 June 2003,
Recalling that paragraph 4 of resolution 1343 (2001) demanded that all States
take action to prevent armed groups and individuals and groups from using their
territory to prepare and commit attacks on neighbouring countries and refrain from
any action that might contribute to further destabilization on the borders between
Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone,
Commending the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), in
particular its Chairman, President Kufuor of Ghana, for its leadership role in
facilitating the achievement of the aforementioned ceasefire agreement, and
recognizing the critically important role it has played and necessarily will continue
to play in the Liberia peace process, consistent with Chapter VIII of the Charter of
the United Nations,
Commending also Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo for his efforts to
bring peace to Liberia,
Recalling further the 30 June 2003 request of the Secretary-General to the
Security Council to authorize the deployment of a Multinational Force to Liberia,
Determining that the situation in Liberia constitutes a threat to international
peace and security, to stability in the West Africa subregion, and to the peace
process for Liberia,
Acting under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations,
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1. Authorizes Member States to establish a Multinational Force in Liberia to
support the implementation of the 17 June 2003 ceasefire agreement, including
establishing conditions for initial stages of disarmament, demobilization and
reintegration activities, to help establish and maintain security in the period after the
departure of the current President and the installation of a successor authority,
taking into account the agreements to be reached by the Liberian parties, and to
secure the environment for the delivery of humanitarian assistance, and to prepare
for the introduction of a longer-term United Nations stabilization force to relieve the
Multinational Force;
2. Declares its readiness to establish such a follow-on United Nations
stabilization force to support the transitional government and to assist in the
implementation of a comprehensive peace agreement for Liberia and requests the
Secretary-General to submit to the Council recommendations for the size, structure,
and mandate of this force, preferably by 15 August 2003, and subsequent
deployment of the United Nations force no later than 1 October 2003;
3. Authorizes UNAMSIL to extend the necessary logistical support, for a
limited period of up to 30 days, to the forward ECOWAS elements of the
Multinational Force, without prejudicing UNAMSIL’s operational capability with
respect to its mandate in Sierra Leone;
4. Requests the Secretary-General, pending a decision by the Security
Council on the establishment of a United Nations peacekeeping operation in Liberia,
to take the necessary steps, including the necessary logistical support to the
ECOWAS elements of the Multinational Force, and pre-positioning critical logistical
and personnel requirements to facilitate the rapid deployment of the envisaged
operation;
5. Authorizes the Member States participating in the Multinational Force in
Liberia to take all necessary measures to fulfil its mandate;
6. Calls upon Member States to contribute personnel, equipment, and other
resources to the Multinational Force; and stresses that the expenses of the
Multinational Force will be borne by the participating Member States and other
voluntary contributions;
7. Decides that current or former officials or personnel from a contributing
State, which is not a party to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court,
shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of that contributing State for all alleged
acts or omissions arising out of or related to the Multinational Force or United
Nations stabilization force in Liberia, unless such exclusive jurisdiction has been
expressly waived by that contributing State;
8. Decides that the measures imposed by paragraphs 5 (a) and 5 (b) of
resolution 1343 (2001) shall not apply to supplies of arms and related materiel and
technical training and assistance intended solely for support of and use by the
Multinational Force;
9. Demands that all States in the region refrain from any action that might
contribute to instability in Liberia or on the borders between Liberia, Guinea, Sierra
Leone and Côte d’Ivoire;
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10. Calls on the Liberian parties to cooperate with the Joint Verification
Team and Joint Monitoring Commission as established under the 17 June 2003
ceasefire agreement;
11. Further calls on all Liberian parties and Member States to cooperate
fully with the Multinational Force in Liberia in the execution of its mandate and to
respect the security and freedom of movement of the Multinational Force, as well as
to ensure the safe and unimpeded access of international humanitarian personnel to
populations in need in Liberia;
12. Stresses the urgent need for all Liberian parties who are signatories to the
17 June ceasefire agreement, in particular the LURD and MODEL leadership,
immediately and scrupulously to uphold the 17 June ceasefire agreement, to cease
using violent means and to agree as soon as possible to an all-inclusive political
framework for a transitional government until such a time when free and fair
elections can be held and notes that critical to this endeavour is the fulfilment of the
commitment to depart from Liberia made by President Charles Taylor;
13. Urges the LURD and MODEL to refrain from any attempt to seize power
by force, bearing in mind the position of the African Union on unconstitutional
changes of government as stated in the 1999 Algiers Decision and the 2000 Lomé
Declaration;
14. Decides to review the implementation of this resolution within 30 days of
adoption to consider the report and recommendations of the Secretary-General
called for in paragraph 2 and consider further steps that might be necessary;
15. Requests that the Secretary-General through his Special Representative to
report to the Council periodically on the situation in Liberia in relation to the
implementation of this resolution, including information on implementation by the
Multinational Force of its mandate;
16. Decides to remain actively seized of the matter.