Nigerian diplomat appointed as new head of Darfur peacekeeping mission

October 27, 2015 (KHARTOUM) – The United Nations and African Union on Tuesday appointed a Nigerian diplomat s new head for the hybrid peacekeeping mission in Darfur (UNAMID) together with a Guinean diplomat who will serve as deputy joint representative .

In two separate statements UN chief Ban Ki-mon and AU commission chairperson Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma announced the appointment of Martin Ihoeghian Uhomoibhi of Nigeria as Joint Special Representative for Darfur and UNAMID head. Also, they appointed Bintou Keita of Guinea as Deputy Joint Special Representative.

Uhomoibhi who will serve also as joint chief mediator for the peace process succeeds Abiodun Oluremi Bashua of Nigeria. Keita succeeds Abdul Kamara of Sierra Leone.

The appointment of the fifth joint representative and chief mediator for Darfur was announced 24 hours before a regular briefing for the UN Security Council about the situation in Darfur and the activities of the joint mission there.

Uhomoibhi holds a PhD in modern history and international relations .Most recently, he served as the Founder and President of the Pan African Institute for Global Affairs and Strategy. From 2008 to 2009 he was the third President of the United Nations Human Rights Council and Chair of the World Intellectual Property Organisation General Assembly. Uhomoibhi

For his part, Keita has a long experience with more than 25 years of service in the United Nations. Her most recent positions include Ebola Crisis Manager for Sierra Leone and Chief of Staff for the United Nations Mission for Ebola Emergency Response. He also served in several senior management and leadership functions with the UNICEF or UNDP in different African countries.

The new leadership team will face unhealthy relations between the mission and the host government which seeks to end its mandate.

Despite his long experience in Darfur, Bashua was unable to ease tensions with Khartoum and failed to handle the different crises.

The mission has been always under high pressures. Sometimes, it is accused of ineffectiveness and being soft with Khartoum and at other moments it is accused by the Sudanese government of serving rebel and western agenda.

Khartoum signed different peace agreements with the rebel factions but three historical are not among the signatories. Even if the fighting between the government and rebels is concentrated in some areas, the tribal violence remains the main source of displacement in the restive region.

(ST)