UNAMID chief urges for equipment support to monitor Darfur ceasefire

March 1, 2010 (KHARTOUM) — The chief of the hybrid peacekeeping mission in Darfur has urged the international community to support his operation with necessary equipment to monitor a ceasefire agreement currently under negotiation in the Qatari capital.

Ibrahim Gambari issued the call yesterday following a meeting with the Rwandan President Paul Kagame at Urugwiro Village, the official seat of the presidency in the capital Kigali, to thank him for hosting the meeting for special envoys to Sudan he organized last weekend.

Talking to reporters after the meeting, Gambari called on the international community to follow Ethiopia’s example and donate equipment to support UNAMID, adding that there will be a need for monitoring equipment if the force is given the mandate to monitor the ceasefire.

“We still need more helicopters. We will also need equipment to monitor the ceasefire if we are asked by those who will sign it,” Gambari said.

“We need, according to our military leadership, at least 18 utility helicopters to provide the air mobility and operational flexibility it needs” pointed out Noureddine Mezni, in a statement he made to Sudan Tribune today.

Following the signing of the framework agreement between Sudanese government and the rebel Justice and Equality Movement in Doha on February 23, UNAMID military experts were sent to Doha, in order to assist the joint mediation in setting up the ceasefire monitoring mechanism.

The experts are in Doha at the request of the mediation.

Gambari, stressed the “need for more equipments, in order to monitor in the best possible conditions the ceasefire, and most likely our experts in Doha are taking into consideration the different aspects which could make this mechanism operational and efficient” further said the official spokesperson of the UNAMID.

The head of UNAMID organised last Saturday a retreat of special envoys for Sudan from the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, plus the European Union in the Rwandan capital.

Commenting on the conclusions of the meeting, the Rwandan foreign minister Louise Mushikiwabo said that the meeting indicated that there are signs that peace will return to Sudan and there is commitment by the international community particularly the five permanent members of the Security Council.

“The most important recommendation out of the retreat was the need for the peace keepers and the decision makers to come together and form a common ground to see peace return in Darfur,” Mushikiwabo said following the meeting.

(ST)