UN renews mandate of AU-UN peace keepers in Darfur

Khartoum, Sudan (PANA) - The UN Security Council on Tuesday renewed the mandate of the African Union-United Nations Peace Keeping Force in Darfur up to the end of May this year.

The current mandate ended on 31 March.

A press release received by PANA in Khartoum said the UN Security Council on Tuesday decided unanimously that the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID) will maintain its current troop and police ceilings until 31 May 2020.

By terms of resolution 2517 (2020), adopted under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations, the Council further decided that the mission will maintain all team sites for mandate implementation during this period, the press release said.

UN and the government of the Sudan, along with the African Union, have been in the process of ending the presence of the peace keeping force in the country since they have judged that the security situation has improved drastically in the hitherto restive region of western Sudan.

“Expressing its intent to decide courses of action regarding the responsible drawdown and exit of UNAMID by 31 May 2020, the Council also expressed its intention to adopt a new resolution at the same time to establish a follow-on presence," the press release said.

It said the 15-member Council adopted the text through a written procedure under temporary, extraordinary and provisional measures implemented in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The result was announced during a videoconference meeting of Council members by the representative of China, its President for March.

It explained that previously, the Council decided to extend UNAMID’s mandate for one year on 31 October 2019 through resolution 2495 (2019), deciding also on that date that the mission would maintain its current troop and police levels until 31 March.

-0- PANA MO/VAO 1April2020