UNISFA
The United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) is a United Nations peacekeeping force in Abyei, which is contested between the Republic of Sudan and the Republic of South Sudan. UNISFA was approved on 27 June 2011 by the United Nations Security Council in United Nations Security Council Resolution 1990 after a flareup in the South Kordofan conflict earlier in June 2011.[1] The Ethiopian Army is the largest contributor of personnel, and as of 2018, the only contributor of individual troops.[2]
| Abbreviation | UNISFA |
|---|---|
| Formation | 27 June 2011 |
| Type | Peacekeeping Mission |
| Legal status | Active |
| Headquarters | Abyei Town |
Head | Major General Benjamin Olufemi Sawyerr |
Parent organization | United Nations Security Council |
| Website | https://unisfa.unmissions.org/ |
In the operation's initial years, the position of Head of Mission and Force Commander were jointly held by the same person. Since 2014, both positions are held by a different person.
Since 28 January 2015, the Head of Mission has been Haile Tilahun Gebremariam.[3] Since April 2018, the Force Commander has been Major General Gebre Adhana Woldezgu.[4]
| Head of Mission, UNIFSA | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Name | Nationality | Tenure |
| 1 | Maj. Gen. Tadesse Werede Tesfay[5] |  Ethiopia |
2011–2013 |
| 2 | Maj. Gen. Yohannes Gebremeskel Tesfamariam[6] | 2013–2014 | |
| - | Maj. Gen. Halefom Ejigu Moges (acting)[7] | 2014–2015 | |
| 3 | Haile Tilahun Gebremariam[3] | 2015–present | |
| Force Commander, UNIFSA | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Name | Nationality | Tenure |
| 1 | Maj. Gen. Tadesse Werede Tesfay[5] | Ethiopia |
2011–2013 |
| 2 | Maj. Gen. Yohannes Gebremeskel Tesfamariam[6] | 2013–2014 | |
| 3 | Maj. Gen. Birhanu Jula Gelalcha[8] | 2014–2016 | |
| 4 | Maj. Gen. Hassen Ebrahim Mussa[9] | 2016–2017 | |
| 5 | Maj. Gen. Tesfay Gidey Hailemichael[10] | 2017–2018 | |
| 6 | Maj. Gen. Gebre Adhana Woldezgu[4] | 2018–present | |
As of 31 May 2018, the total number of personnel in the mission is 4,571, all but a little over 100 of whom are Ethiopian.[2]
| Country | Experts | Police | Staff Officer | Troops |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Bahrain |
2 | |||
 Benin |
2 | |||
 Bhutan |
1 | 1 | ||
 Bolivia |
2 | |||
 Brazil |
2 | |||
 Burkina Faso |
1 | |||
 Burundi |
3 | |||
 Cambodia |
1 | |||
 Dominican Republic |
1 | 2 | ||
 Ecuador |
1 | 1 | ||
 El Salvador |
1 | |||
| Ethiopia |
78 | 5 | 79 | 4,288 |
 Ghana |
3 | 4 | 6 | |
 Guatemala |
3 | 1 | ||
 Guinea |
1 | 1 | ||
 India |
1 | 3 | ||
 Indonesia |
2 | 2 | ||
 Jordan |
4 | |||
 Malawi |
1 | |||
 Mongolia |
1 | 1 | ||
 Namibia |
3 | 4 | 2 | |
 Nepal |
3 | 1 | ||
 Nigeria |
2 | 2 | ||
 Peru |
2 | |||
 Russia |
1 | |||
 Rwanda |
2 | 3 | 4 | |
 Seychelles |
2 | |||
 Sierra Leone |
1 | 2 | ||
 Sri Lanka |
5 | 1 | ||
 Tanzania |
2 | 9 | 1 | |
 Ukraine |
4 | 2 | ||
 Vietnam |
2 | |||
 Zambia |
1 | 1 | ||
 Zimbabwe |
2 | 10 | 1 |
- BBC News – Sudan: UN authorises peacekeepers for Abyei. Bbc.co.uk (2011-06-27). Retrieved on 2012-03-26.
- "UN Mission's Contributions by Country" (PDF). United Nations. 31 May 2018. pp. 31–33. Retrieved 2 July 2018.
- 'Secretary-General Appoints Lieutenant General Yohannes Gebremeskel Tesfamariam of Ethiopia Force Commander of United Nations Mission in South Sudan', UN press release, 17 June 2014, accessed 12 September 2017, <https://www.un.org/press/en/2014/sga1477.doc.htm>
- "Secretary-General Appoints Haile Tilahun Gebremariam of Ethiopia Head of Mission for Abyei | Meetings Coverage and Press Releases". www.un.org. Retrieved 2018-07-01.