The United Nations role and responsibilities in the upcoming Referenda are determined by UN Security Council Resolution 1919 which calls on the UN to “be prepared to play a lead role in international efforts to provide assistance to support preparations for the referendum”.

UNMIS and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) electoral teams have established an integrated team in order to provide a more streamlined and coherent approach to UN support to the referenda processes by establishing the United Nations Integrated Referendum and Electoral Division (UNIRED).

The South Sudan Referendum and the Abyei Area Referendum are to be nationally-owned Sudanese processes, to which UNIRED will provide technical and logistical assistance to the Referenda authorities; thus UNIRED will not directly administer or manage the referenda. UNIRED will assist the Referenda authorities in their efforts to organize and conduct peaceful and successful referenda throughout every phase of the process including: the conceptualization of operations; the planning of the procurement and distribution of materials; the Voter Registration exercise, exhibition and challenges; and finally polling, counting, tabulation and announcement of results.

The UNDP contribution within UNIRED is through the implementation of two programmes of support namely::

- The Southern Sudan Referendum Project
- The Abyei Area Referendum Project

Operational Set-up:

UN Integrated Referendum and Election Structure

The United Nations will support Sudan in organizing the Southern Sudan Referendum and the Abyei Referendum and UNDP will work in an integrated structure with UNMIS under the auspices of a new entity, United Nations Integrated Referendum and Electoral Division (UNIRED). UNIRED will work closely with other UN agencies, such as UNIFEM and IOM, to deliver this support, in coordination with USAID and its implementing partners such as IFES.

• UNDP will implement a separate project for each of the referenda.
• The South Sudan Referendum project will be staffed by two Senior Referendum Advisors with one located in Khartoum, and the other in Juba.
• A project team including project manager and logistics, finance and procurement specialists will also be recruited with the bulk of staff stationed in Juba.
• The Abyei Referendum Assistance project will be staffed by a Referendum Advisor supported by a project manager, legal specialist, and other technical specialist all located in Abyei.

Funding and Coordination Mechanisms
Both referenda will be supported through a single Referenda Support Basket fund which finances two distinct programme streams. Thus the fund will be used to administer one award with two subsidiary project identities. The unified basket fund will allow development partners to make contributions to either the broad programme of support to the referenda, or to earmark finances to either referendum through one process.

Coordination at technical, steering and ambassadorial level would nonetheless be through unified mechanisms at each level, and thereby strengthen both the UN-UNMIS and Development partner integrated support. Meanwhile, maintenance of distinct project identities, and deployment of project dedicated staff to both Juba and Abyei will serve to give cognizance to the separate mandates and decision-making powers of the two referendum commissions of these nationally led processes. Separate project identities will also allow continued forward progress for one referendum, where there may be delay in the other.