Darfur security situation creates conditions to reduce more peacekeepers: meeting
April 8, 2018 (KHARTOUM) – African Union, UN and Sudan mechanism on UNAMID Sunday have agreed that the continued improvement of security situation creates favourable conditions for the withdrawal of more peacekeepers from Darfur.
The Tripartite Coordination Mechanism tasked with the implementation of UNAMID’s mandate met Sunday in Khartoum to discuss the ongoing troops’ reconfiguration process which ultimately should lead to the full withdrawal of peacekeeping mission from Darfur.
The forces’ reduction plan is based on the improvements in the security and humanitarian situations as well as the absence of clashes between government forces and the armed opposition.
“On the Exit Strategy, the participants of the meeting agreed on the significant improvement of the security and humanitarian situation in Darfur, which is creating conditions for a further substantial reconfiguration of UNAMID,” said a statement issued by the three parties in Khartoum.
“They expressed satisfaction about the implementation of UNAMID’s reconfiguration, and the coordinated implementation of UNAMID reconfiguration in phase (1) and phase (2) so far,” further said the statement.
Phase one of the reconfiguration, which was completed on 1 January 2018, includes the closure of 11 UNAMID team sites and reductions in military personnel from 15,845 to 11,395 and in police personnel from 3,403 to 2,888.
Last February; the UNAMID launched the second phase which should terminate by the end of June. It involves a further reduction of military personnel to 8, 735 and police personnel to 2,500.
However, due to the presence of rebel fighters in Jebel Marra, the ongoing process excludes the mountainous area and even provides to establish a temporary operating base (TOB) at Golo, Central Darfur.
The Sudanese government delegation for the meeting was led by Omer Siddig, the Acting Undersecretary of the Foreign Ministry, The AU delegation was led by Smail Chergui the AU Commissioner for Peace and Security, while the UN delegation was led by Jean-Pierre Lacroix, UN Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations and the UNAMID delegation was led by its chief Kingsley Mamabolo.
Last January, the Security Council issued a presidential statement on the situation in Darfur region and said concerned by the need for a sustainable solution to the 2.7 displaced persons who have been residing in the camps since 2004.
The Council further called on the international community to back the government’s efforts to address IDPs situation and stressed it should be done in harmony with the international law.
(ST)