UNAMID’s exit strategy team to visit Darfur on Monday
May 6, 2016 (KHARTOUM) -Sudan’s foreign ministry Friday said the tripartite team tasked with developing an exit strategy for the hybrid peacekeeping mission in Darfur (UNAMID) would start a visit to Darfur’s five states on Monday.
In its meeting on 18 April in Khartoum, the tripartite team decided to conduct field visits to Darfur before to start a gradual and smooth exit from the restive region.
Sudan’s foreign ministry spokesperson Ali al-Sadiq said the team would visit Darfur’s five states between 8 to 16 May to see the ground realities, saying it would submit a report to the joint mechanism at the end of the visit.
He added the team would also hold a meeting in Khartoum on 23 May to approve the outcome of its visit to Darfur, saying the joint mechanism would also discuss other issues pertaining to the UNAMID’s performance and exit from Darfur.
Al-Sadiq expressed hope that the outcome of the tripartite team work would be included in the report that will be presented by the United Nations chief Ban Ki Moon to the UN Security Council in early June.
It is noteworthy that the UN linked the full withdrawal of the peacekeeping operation from Darfur region with signing of a ceasefire agreement within a peace agreement where the protection of civilians can be ensured.
The hybrid mission has been deployed in Darfur since December 2007 with a mandate to stem violence against civilians in the western Sudan’s region.
It is the world’s second largest international peacekeeping force with an annual budget of $1.35 billion and almost 20,000 troops.
UN agencies say there are nearly 2.5 million displaced persons in Darfur, despite the signing of peace agreement in Doha in July 2011.
(ST)