UNAMID sites in South Darfur to be turned into university colleges: governor

October 3, 2018 (KHARTOUM) – Governor of South Darfur State Adam al-Faki on Wednesday visited premises of the hybrid peacekeeping mission in Darfur (UNAMID) that would be handed over to his government at the end of the year as part of the Mission’s exit strategy.

During the visit, al-Faki held a meeting including minister of urban planning Taha Abdallah and the Mission’s Head of Office, Sector South, Berhanemeskel Nega and his staff.

He expressed his appreciation for the efforts of the Mission, pointing to the partnership between the government and the UNAMID on issues of security and peacekeeping, voluntary return and resettlement.

Al-Faki added the Mission’s premises would be turned into university colleges in order to provide services and contribute to developing human resources in South Darfur.

For his part, Nega briefed the governor on the strategic plan to hand over the Mission’s sites to the government, pointing to the need for coordination between the two sides to protect the voluntary return camps and villages during the next period.

Last year, the UN Security Council decided to reduce the UNAMID, admitting that the security situation has improved in the Darfur region.

The hybrid mission has been deployed in Darfur since December 2007 with a mandate to stem violence against civilians in 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 estimate that over 300,000 people were killed in the Darfur conflict since 2003, and over 2.5 million are displaced.

(ST)