Gambari pledges to consolidate peace in Darfur

January 25, 2010 (ELFASHER) – The New head of Darfur peacekeeping operation pledged to work collectively with Sudanese official to consolidate the peace process in the restive Darfur particularly through recovery and development.

Ibrahim Cambari, the new AU-UN Joint Special Representative (JSR) arrived today to the head quarters of the UNAMID in El Fasher, where he was received by the state Governor Osman Mohamed Yusuf Kibir, and Sudanese senior officials.

Gambari thanked Kibir his government’s support of the Mission and expressed his desire to begin work immediately on the implementation of UNAMID’s mandate, which was “ultimately about the people of Darfur, their welfare, their security and their dignity as Africans.”

During a meeting held with the Governor and senior North Darfur officials, the two parties pledged to build upon the good working relationship between them.

Gambari also stressed that the mandate of UNAMID was his top priority. “You’ll find me a very able advocate for the hopes and aspirations of the people of Darfur, particularly in the area of recovery and development.”

The Nigerian diplomat is appointed after the hasty departure of the former UNAMID head Adada following a misunderstanding on the appreciation of the security situation on the ground with the Security Council but also he has to maintain good relations with the suspicious Sudanese authorities.

Today earlier he told the UNAMID staff that itwas an “honour to serve: to serve Africa, to serve the United Nations, to serve the international community. And working together, I believe we are going to succeed, because failure is not an option.”

(ST)