Abdul Kamara appointed as UNAMID deputy joint special representative
September 27, 2014 (KHARTOUM) – The United Nations Secretary General, Ban Ki moon, and African Union Commission (AUC) chairperson, Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, announced the appointment of the Sierra Leonean, Abdul Kamara, as deputy joint special representative for the African Union – United Nations Mission in Darfur (UNAMID).
According to a statement issued by the hybrid mission and received by Sudan Tribune, Bashua and Kamara would assume their respective roles as deputy joint special representatives while Mohammed Ibn Chambas remains fully engaged with the mission in his capacity as joint special representative and chief mediator until he takes on his new responsibility as head of the UN office for West Africa.
“Mr. Kamara brings to the position extensive experience following a distinguished career in the African Development Bank, having served as resident representative in the Sudan country office and manager of the research division and senior agricultural economist”, the statement reads.
Kamara, who holds a Ph.D. in agricultural economics and rural development from the Institute of Rural Development of the Georg-August-University of Göttingen, Germany, contributed to development policy research in East, West and Southern Africa in his capacity as research scientist at the International Water Management Institute in South Africa and Ghana.
He was born in Tambiama, Sierra Leone in 1963. He is married and has three children.
Earlier this month, Ibn Chambas, resigned from his position as joint special representative and chief mediator.
African sources told Sudan Tribune long before Chambas’s intended departure from the joint mission. However, it was not clear why the Ghanaian diplomat decided to resign.
The UN chief launched an internal investigation in July after allegations that the UNAMID had been covering up crimes by Sudanese government militia against civilians in Darfur.
“These allegations cover a wide range of issues, including inaccurate reporting of the facts on the ground in Darfur, specific instances of failure to protect civilians and accusations of mismanagement of UNAMID,” said Ban in a statement issued last July.
The UN chief asked that the internal review of UNAMID’s performance be completed within one month.
His move took place after a demand by the International Criminal Court (ICC) and several members of the UN Security Council (UNSC) to probe the accusations.
In a report published by the American magazine Foreign Policy in April, former UNAMID spokesperson Aicha El-Basri gave accounts of several incidents between August 2012 and the end of 2013 where the joint operation denied or ignored attacks carried out by Sudanese militia against civilians.
(ST)