Security Council Delays Decision on UNAMID Full Withdrawal Until 3 June

UNAMID officially handed over the Mission's team site in Tine, North Darfur, to the Government of Sudan, on 19 October 2017 (UNAMID Photo

May 29, 2020 (KHARTOUM) - The United Nations Security Council on Friday has decided to delay its decision on the troops’ drawdown for five days until 3 June.

Flowing the looting of the former camps in El Geneina and Nyala, the United Nations decided to stop the troops’ drawdown plan and to review the handover of closed sites until the establishment of a new modality.

Also, on 30 March, the Security Council decided that UNAMID maintain its current troop and police ceilings until 31 May 2020.

"The Security Council in a 29 May video conference meeting* decided unanimously to maintain current troop and police ceilings of the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID) until 3 June," said the UN spokesman.

Next week, the 15-member body will decide courses of action regarding "the responsible drawdown and exit of UNAMID". Also, the Council is expected to adopt a new resolution to establish a follow-on presence.

During the past meetings, some Security Council permanent members, U.S. and Britain, sought to convince Khartoum to maintain at least three formed police units, but Sudan insisted that the new operation should only be political support mission.

This week, the head of the Sovereign Council said that U.S. officials agreed with him on the need to achieve the UNAMID full withdrawal.

Some Sudanese activists voiced concern about the intercommunal clashes and the attacks on IDPs camps but the government pledged to be very tough in the implementation of security measures in the region.

(ST)