United Nations, July 28: Almost all peacekeepers and staff have left the hybrid United Nations-African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) in line with its drawdown plan, the UN logistics chief told the Security Council on Tuesday.
Atul Khare, UN under-secretary-general for operational support, updated ambassadors on progress towards the mission's closure and final liquidation, following the end of its mandate by Dec. 31, 2020 after protecting civilians uprooted by conflict for 13 years.
Nearly 6,000 troops and police left the Sudanese province ahead of the drawdown deadline of June 30, and nearly 1,200 civilian staff were separated from the mission.
The UN General Assembly recently approved nearly 80 million U.S. dollars to support final closure no later than June 30, 2022.
Khare was in Sudan earlier this month, where he met with senior officials as part of efforts to ensure progress remains on track.
Only a 360-strong guard unit remains at UNAMID to protect staff working on the exit and the remaining UN assets, though primary responsibility for security rests with the Sudanese Government.
Remaining UN assets in Darfur are being disposed of in two phases, the first of which is already underway.
The mission has so far handed over some 41 million dollars in facilities and equipment to local authorities, but 10 of the 14 sites reportedly have suffered "varying degrees of destruction and theft."
The UN Security Council on Dec. 22, 2020 adopted a resolution to terminate the mandate of UNAMID as from Dec. 31, 2020.
UNAMID was established by the UN Security Council in July 2007 to help maintain and mediate peace in the western Sudanese region of Darfur, which had been plagued by a war between Sudanese government forces and the indigenous population since 2003.
Source: Xinhua
