UN, Sudan agree on importance of deploying Darfur force
Representatives of the United Nations and the Government of Sudan today issued a joint statement stressing the
importance of deploying the African Union-UN Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) and urging international support for this
effort.
Both delegations "recognized that UNAMID would play a critical role in bringing peace and stability to Darfur" and
agreed on the importance of setting up the force, according to the statement released in Lisbon following a meeting in
the margins of the European Union-AU summit.
Attending the summit was a high-level UN delegation headed by Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro and including
the UN High Representative for Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Countries and Small Island Developing States,
Cheick Sidi Diarra, Assistant Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Edmond Mulet and Deputy Chef de Cabinet Kim
Won-Soo.
Participants provided clarification "in some areas and identified a number of other areas where technical clarity was
required to ensure that effective preparations for and deployment of the AU-UN Mission could continue."
The UN and Khartoum agreed on the importance of addressing and resolving these issues "transparently, expeditiously and
in the appropriate forum, as part of their collaboration regarding deployment of UNAMID."
Noting critical gaps in the force capabilities, particularly military aviation, the statement called on the
international community to provide the necessary equipment.
"The Government of Sudan and the United Nations emphasized their commitment to the ongoing and intensive technical
effort which would be required for the timely deployment of UNAMID," they said.
UNAMID is due to take over next month from the existing but under-resourced AU mission (known as AMIS) trying to quell
the fighting in Darfur between rebels, Government forces and allied militias that has left at least 200,000 people dead
and more than 2.2 million others displaced since 2003.
But the hybrid force lacks offers for crucial force units. It is short one heavy and one medium transport unit, three
military utility aviation units and one light helicopter unit, while an earlier pledge for one reconnaissance company
has been withdrawn.
ENDS