Rwandan general assumes duty as UNAMID Force Commander

September 2, 2009 (EL FASHER) — The new Force Commander of the African Union United Nations Mission in Darfur (UNAMID), Lieutenant General Patrick Nyamvumba from Rwanda, assumed duty yesterday in the restive province of Darfur.

Nyamvumba, 42, was appointed by the Chairperson of the African Union (AU) Commission and the Secretary-General of the United Nations to succeed General Martin Luther Agwai, who was UNAMID’s Force Commander in May 2007.

The new Force Commander, who arrived in the Mission area on 24 August 2009, paid a series of familiarization visits to UNAMID peacekeeping troops and civilian staff.

Prior to his appointment, Lt General Nyamvumba served as Chief of Logistics of the Rwanda Defence Forces and had previously held various senior positions in the Rwandan Army.

He was Commander of an infantry battalion, mechanized infantry regiment and infantry brigade in 1995, 1996 and 1997, respectively. Between 1998 and 1999, he served as Chief of Operations, Plans and Training. In 1999, he assumed the position of Joint Task Force Commander until his appointment as Commandant of the Military Academy in 2003. He has also served as the Commandant of the Force Preparation Centre between 2004 and 2007. In 2007, General Nyamvumba was appointed to serve as President of the Military High Court.

Lieutenant General Nyamvumba is a graduate of the South African National Defence College.

UNAMID is expecting to reach 97 per cent of its deployment numbers by the end of this year. United Nations Security Council resolution 1769 (2007) authorized the deployment of 19,555; troops, 1845 police, 1115 Formed Police Units, 1109 international staff from more than 100 countries, 2255 national staff and 335 UN Volunteers.

(ST)