UNAMID budget does not support peace implementation process : diplomat

May 26, 2016 (KHARTOUM) – Sudan Thursday criticized the expenditure lines in the budget of the African Union United Nations Mission in Darfur (UNAMID), saying it neglects important aspects related to peace implementation, mine clearance, and reduction of tribal conflict.

As the United Nations security Council is expected to extend the UNAMID mandate for another years next June, the hybrid mission is preparing to submit its new budget for the next year.

Khartoum which seeks the exit of Darfur peacekeeping mission criticized the UNAMID provisional budget for 2016-2017, pointing to the lack of spending line for what is decribed as “actual needs of the citizens in Darfur”, and support the mediation efforts to complete the peace process on the basis of the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur (DDPD).

Foreign ministry spokesperson Ali al-Sadqi told reporters that the proposed document shows that UNAMID budget for the next year will reach $1.098 billion, adding that it may be reduced by the specialized committees.

He further said the 2015-2016 budget amounted to$1.245 billion but the effective spending was at $1.222 billion He added that the surplus in the budget may encourage to reduce UNAMID budget for the upcoming year to less than a billion dollars.

He pointed that the spending lines cover mainly the salaries of UNAMID civil and military personnel, besides food, fuel, air conditioners, maintenance and spare parts for thousands of cars.

The Foreign Ministry spokesperson said there are some important aspects of the peace implementation process in Darfur that do not find the adequate support from “UNAMID” such as the transitional justice mechanisms including the Special Criminal Court in Darfur and law enforcement operations.

He went further to say that the hybrid mission could contribute to the demining operations, support the national and local mechanisms to end tribal conflicts, the security arrangements implementation committees, the disarmament, demobilization, reintegration programmes, and rehabilitation programmess for child soldiers.

UNAMID currently has 13,809 military personnel, 1,161 police advisers, 1,814 formed police unit officers, 762 international civilian staff, 152 United Nations volunteers, and 2,177 national civilian staff.

The hybrid mission has been deployed in darfur since December 2007.

(ST)