UNAMID held ceremony to receive Ethiopian choppers

February 26, 2010 (ADDIS ABABA) — An official ceremony to receive Ethiopia’s five tactical helicopters was held on Thursday in Sudan’s Darfur region in presence of officials from the Horn of Africa country.

The five long-awaited tactical Mi-35P helicopters arrived in Nyala, South Darfur, on February 17, with 15 pilots and crew members onboard. They will join a 185 member advance team, including pilots, technicians and protection force, which arrived last month.

The Russian-manufactured gunships will enhance UNAMID ability to protect civilians in Darfur and allow a swift response to any emergency situation on the ground. The hybrid operation will now be able to reach many areas which had previously been inaccessible

The helicopters aim at enhancing the Mission’s ability to protect the civilian population and will also enable a swift and effective response to any developing emergency on the ground. UNAMID will now be able to reach many areas which had previously been inaccessible.

Speaking at the ceremony, UNAMID head, Ibrahim Gambari said that the deployment of the five Ethiopian helicopters will have a tremendous role to the efforts to bring lasting peace in Darfur.

“I hereby pledge that we will do our utmost to make optimum use of the helicopters in the discharge of our core mandate, which is the protection of the civilian population and the support for the creation of a safe and secure environment,” said Gambari.

The representative of Sudanese foreign ministry, Ambassador Mohamed Abdallah Idriss, Director of Peace and Humanitarian Affairs welcomed the arrival of the offensive helicopters; and assured of Sudan’s “commitment to cooperate with the Mission to implement its mandate.”

Ethiopia’s high level delegation led by Ambassador Konjit Sinegiorgis, Permanent Representative of Ethiopia to the African Union Commission, attended the event. Konjit said government decision to allocate these choopers to UNAMID was “a reflection of the importance that we in Ethiopia attach to the establishment and the consolidation of peace in the Sudan.”
The Ethiopian foreign ministry said the delegation met with the aviation team on ground.

The Ethiopian troops deployed in Darfur consist of an infantry battalion and engineering unit, as well as a multi role, reconnaissance and transport companies.

The UNAMID force still needs 18 transport choppers to move the supplies and equipment necessary to carry out its mandate.

The Ethiopian troops provide transport service, conduct security patrols within area of responsibility to enhance security and encourage confidence with the local population, conduct escorts for humanitarian convoys and accomplish other peace keeping related operations.

(ST)