Security Council: Darfur Peacekeeping Force Must Improve
The U.N. Security Council on Thursday demanded that its peacekeeping mission with the African Union improve its protection of civilians in the strife-torn Sudanese region of Darfur.
In a unanimous resolution, the council endorsed "revised strategic priorities" for the African Union-United Nations Mission in Darfur (UNAMID).
Among these are better protection of civilians and improved delivery of humanitarian aid.
In a resolution, the council requested that the mission "identify, in the context of these challenges, steps by which it will achieve its revised strategic priorities more effectively."
It added that the Security Council will assess "the initial impact of implementation" before renewing UNAMID's mandate in August.
UNAMID, which was established six years ago, currently has a force of about 20,000 on the ground.
Britain's ambassador to the UN, Mark Lyall Grant, said that the hybrid nature of UNAMID "has proved difficult" because every decision must go through two organizations.
"The security situation has always been difficult," said Grant. "The mission needs to be better able to address the current situation."
The U.N. says that at the end of March about 200,000 people were newly displaced by fighting in Darfur, on top of about two million who had already been uprooted in the 11-year conflict.
Source: Agence France Presse
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