Sudan says UNAMID misleads Security Council over held containers
October 15, 2015 (KHARTOUM) – Sudanese foreign ministry on Thursday slammed the hybrid peacekeeping mission in Darfur (UNAMID), and accused it of misleading the United Nations Security Council and inciting it against Sudan.
“The current food ration levels in the UNAMID mission area are of great concern and we urge the Government of Sudan to release the containers immediately. Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Hervé Ladsous is briefing the Security Council today in this regard,” said Dujarric.
Speaking to Sudan Tribune on Thursday, al-Sadiq stressed that the Sudanese authorities are not holding the containers. He further considered presenting the issue in such a way “once again reflects the deception practised by UNAMID at the level of the UN Security Council and the incitement against Sudan”.
He said that there is a slow in the custom procedures because the hybrid mission didn’t observe the requirements of the finance ministry which provide to notify the details of the shipments before its arrival to Port Sudan.
He underscored that the UNAMID used to provide the documents of the shipments after its arrival to the port.
Sudanese government is negotiating with the African Union and the United Nations a plan for the gradual UNAMID exit from the western Sudan region. Khartoum says the security situation in Darfur is now under control, and it is striving to end the tribal violence.
Sudanese officials also claim that the UNAMID staff members are seeking to draw a gloomy picture of the situation there in order to justify their presence and keep their high payments and privileges.
The Sudanese foreign ministry under-secretary this week held a meeting with the ambassadors in Khartoum of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council to discuss, among others, the logistical and administrative problems facing the hybrid mission.
The Sudanese diplomat suggested that UNAMID buys some of its needs from the local market instead of importing it from Australia, Brazil or Argentina.
Al-Sadiq said the competent authorities are close to finalizing the procedure for clearance of the containers, stressing that their number is 240 containers and not 190 as it was said the UN officials.
(ST)