Sudan summons Unamid head over ‘misinformation’ in Security Council

20/06/2016 18:20 KHARTOUM

(UPDATE 18:20) The Sudanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the head of the African Union – United Nations Mission in Darfur (Unamid) to enquire about the report on Darfur which was referred to in the UN Security Council meeting last Tuesday.

The Sudanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the head of the African Union – United Nations Mission in Darfur (Unamid) to enquire about the report on Darfur which was referred to in the UN Security Council meeting last Tuesday.

Head Martin Uhomoibhi assured ambassador Abdelghani Elnaeem that the mission's concerns regarding the special report will be conveyed to the appropriate authorities at  the UN headquarters in New York, read a Unamid statement today. Uhomoibhi was summoned by the Foreign Ministry on Sunday, which claimed that the special report encompassed “a lot of misinformation and distorted images of the humanitarian, security and social situation in Darfur”.

Presenting a report by the UN Secretary-General and the African Union Commission on Unamid, Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Hervé Ladsous briefed the council about “the many obstacles in Sudan” as the conflict in Darfur “remains unchanged”.

The Sudanese Foreign Ministry stated that the report to the Security Council was contradicting a report prepared by the joint tripartite work team of the United Nations, the African Union and the Sudanese government. This reported on the improvement in the security and humanitarian situation and the end of the insurgency, the statement read.

It pointed out that states of Darfur “have put efforts in achieving tribal reconciliation and peaceful coexistence among the ethnic components of Darfur”. This along with the return of refugees and displaced people to their home areas in Darfur. According to the Ministry, these returnees have been provided with basic services last month.

The mandate of Unamid is scheduled to be renewed this week. However, it seems the renewal of the peacekeeping mission may get pushed into next week, the Security Council writes in an update today.

On 23 June, the Security Council is expected to listen to the joint report of the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon, and the President of the African Union Commission on the situation in Darfur.