UNAMID refutes bias charges made by Sudanese airlines
November 3, 2008 (EL FASHER) – The African-Union/United Nations peacekeeping mission in Darfur (UNAMID) on Monday challenged the truth of bias charges made against it by the leaders of Sudan’s airline companies.
In response, UNAMID noted that as a matter of policy, the countries that provide troops to the peacekeeping mission also use their own national air companies to transport them, or use a third party on the basis of bilateral agreements.
Majid, the airline representative, said that “the UN is ignoring national air companies by chartering and contracting other companies under the umbrella of the UN to transport these troops.”
The head of the Chamber of Pilots urged that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Civil Aviation and the Parliament should “give concessions to national companies particularly in terms of relief items to Darfur.”
He accused the UN of “exploiting its status as an international body by assigning air cargo concessions to foreign companies.” He noted that “national air companies are deliberately ignored.”
In a rebuttal to these charges, UNAMID stated that it does not discriminate against national air companies and emphasized that “contracts for air assets, support and related activities are handled by UN Headquarters in New York through transparent, competitive bidding.”
The mission added, “since its inception, UNAMID has always given and continues to provide opportunities to Sudanese companies to compete with other bidders for the services and goods it needs for its operations.
“UNAMID also recruits national staff members, mostly from Darfur, to serve with the Mission, curbing unemployment among young people, enabling them to assist their families, thus contributing in no small way to the local economy. There are currently 1,804 national staff working for UNAMID, out of a target recruits number of 3,455,” reported the mission.
(ST)