US firm work in Darfur to be terminated mid-July: UN
July 7, 2008 (UNITED NATIONS) – The contract for a US firm building infrastructure for peacekeeping forces in Darfur will be terminated mid-July, a UN official confirmed.
The controversial no-bid contract was awarded to Lockheed Martin’s PA&E subsidiary by the UN Secretariat drawing fire from UN members.
The UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon defended the contract at the time saying that under the time constraint to build bases for peacekeepers in Darfur.
“You don’t have many vendors who are readily available to provide such service at a limited time. And that is why, in accordance with the necessary rules and regulations bestowed upon me as the Secretary-General, I have taken an exceptional decision. I am allowed to do that” he said last January.
Sudan told a visiting UN Security Council (UNSC) delegation last month that it will not allow PA&E to operate in Darfur in retaliation to the long standing sanctions imposed by Washington.
The US special envoy Richard Williamson told reporters that he has raised the issue with Sudanese officials saying Washington wants to see the “job done”.
“PA&E has experience; they were a company used by the US when we built 30 African Union camps…it would be prudent if they are allowed to continue to perform their service…There would be a substantial lag of you try and bring someone new” he said.
But the UN peacekeeping official ruled out any possible extension.
“We are not extending, absolutely. Let me make it clear to you. They haven’t finalized their work, and won’t be July 14” Malcorra said.
The search for a new vendor will likely create additional delays in the deployment of UN-African Union (AU) forces and anger US officials desperately seeking more boots on the ground.
Washington has grown increasingly frustrated with the slow pace of deploying peacekeepers to Darfur and recently appeared to throw the blame on the UN for the delay.
The United Nations has for months been seeking six attack and 18 transport helicopters to support the force. But Williamson told UN chief last March that the UN should not be hung on the issue of helicopters needed by the Darfur force.
(ST)