UNAMID, Sudan police services form coordination mechanism

June 10, 2016 (KHARTOUM) – Sudan Police Force and UNMAID police on Friday agreed to form a joint coordination mechanism to achieve peace and stability in Darfur.

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.

Sudanese Police Forces Commander, General Hashim Osman al-Hussein, and UNAMID Police Commander, Brigadier Barsila Makothi discussed, in Khartoum, ways to enhance joint cooperation in Darfur.

Following the meeting, it was announced that that the two parties agreed to create a coordination mechanism to achieve peace and stability in Darfur.

According to a statement issued by Sudan Police Press Office, on Friday, the two parties discussed the security situation in Darfur, the role of Sudanese police in enhancing peace and stability in Darfur and its support to UNAMID police in achieving its mandate in Darfur.

UNAMID Police Commander hailed cooperation with Sudanese police, according to the statement.

“The deployment of UNAMID Police in Darfur is not a substitute for Sudan Police but it aims to enhance joint cooperation , building capacities and sharing experience in training, managing prisons and community police,’’ reads the statement.

In February 2015 , A tripartite working group including the Sudanese government, African Union (AU) and United Nations (UN) has been set up to develop an exit strategy for the UNAMID from Darfur.

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.

United Nations Security Council resolution 1769, in July 2007, authorized the deployment of an appropriate civilian police component consisting of more than 3,500 police officers, with 19 formed police units comprising up to 140 personnel each.

(ST)