lack of resources led to hybrid operation – AU-UN commander

Khartoum, July 5 (SUNA) – The new Force Commander of the African Union Mission in Sudan who later will become commander of the hybrid operation, General Martin Luther Agawi, said when the hybrid operation starts it will do three times than what are the African Union forces doing now in Darfur. In an interview to Sudan News Agency (SUNA), General Luther said if the requirements and resources provided to the African Union forces it will realize peace and protect their elements and face the challenges, indicating that lack of resources led to the hybrid operation and the heavy support package. General Luther praised the agreement reached to by the government, AU and UN on the hybrid operation. He said the challenges are how to find harmonization and coordination between the AU and UN to achieve peace, security, stability and development and how to keep peace, saying if we meet these things we will be succeeding in our mission. He said they are now working within the African Union Mission in Sudan and will continue the work till the issuance of the new mandate of the hybrid operation. He said they would work through dialogue to find solution for the issue of Darfur and they have the capability to do the mission successfully. He pointed out that he is confident and optimistic to find a way and to face the challenges which impeding peace process, saying what they need is to realize now peace and help others, explaining that he has good experience he obtained from his work as commander of the UN peacekeeping mission in Sierra Leone a matter which made him confident of success in his mission. He described his meetings with government officials as clear and frank, saying that the government knew that the international community came to help it in realizing stability and development and not to take its role.