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Troop deployment, equipment focus of Tripartite Meeting on UNAMID

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Sudan
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UNAMID
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Addis Ababa, 2 February 2014— Concerns over delays in deployment of personnel and equipment to the African Union—United Nations Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) were the primary focus of discussion of the seventeenth meeting of the Tripartite Coordination Mechanism on UNAMID. The forum was held on 2 February at the African Union’s headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on the margins of the African Union Summit.

The Tripartite Mechanism, composed of representatives of the Government of Sudan, the African Union and the United Nations, is an instrument aimed at addressing challenges to the effective implementation of the UNAMID mandate.

At the meeting, participants discussed the current deployment of uniformed personnel to UNAMID and associated clearance of contingent owned equipment. It was agreed that the Government would work with the Mission to facilitate the speedy deployment of troops to UNAMID to avoid operational gaps in Darfur.

Other topics of concern included the lack of freedom of movement and the deterioration in the security situation in Darfur during 2013, largely due to tribal conflicts and the serious consequences they have had on the protection of civilians and in the delivery of humanitarian assistance.

The participants welcomed the cooperation between the Government of Sudan and UNAMID at the technical level that lead to the resolution of outstanding issues, such as pending visas, customs clearances and land leasing. “The tripartite meetings at both the high level and the technical level have improved the Mission’s effectiveness in delivering on its mandate. We hope to continue to work closely with the Government and welcome their cooperation in all areas of operations”, said UNAMID Joint Special Representative Mohamed Ibn Chambas.

The delegations were headed by Ambassador Rahamtalla Mohamed Osman, Sudan Undersecretary for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Ambassador Smail Chergui, African Union Commissioner for Peace and Security; and, Mr. Hervé Ladsous, United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations; and, Ms. Ameerah Haq, United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Field Support.