According to the latest analysis by Amani Africa, the security situation in Africa in the year of silencing the guns 2020 became bleaker than it was in the preceding years.
New Sudan government ‘acceptable to the people’ paves way for UNAMID drawdown
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The Security Council on Tuesday voted to end the hybrid UN-African Union civilian support operation for Darfur, UNAMID, beginning the drawdown on 1 January.
It marks the end of a force that can withdraw, knowing that government is now “in the right hands”, according to the UN Joint Special Representative, Jeremiah Mamabolo, although as he tells UN News in this exclusive interview it does not mean the UN is leaving.
A new assistance mission UNITAMS, will continue to support peacebuilding efforts, with most of the violence that killed some 300,000 in Darfur, and displaced millions now apparently over.
January 7 - 2021 NEW YORK / EL TINA / NIERTETI
UN Security Council in New York (UN)
The UN Secretary-General has announced the selection of Volker Perthes as Special Envoy of the Secretary General to Sudan and Head of the UN Integrated Transition Support Mission in Sudan (UNITAMS).
Reportedly, five diplomats competed in last months of 2020 for the UNITAMS top job. Sudan s Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok would like a European to take the post, but Russia and China disagreed.
It seems that the prime minister succeeded, as the newly appointed UNITAMS head is a German national. Between 2005 and 2020, he was director of the German Institute for International and Security Affairs. In addition, he headed the Ceasefire Task Force of the International Syria Support Group between 2016-2018. In 2015-2016, he served as Senior Advisor to the UN Special Envoy for Syria.
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UNAMID, the joint African Union/United Nations mission in Darfur, is done and dusted with all uniformed and civilian personnel other than those needed for liquidation by 30 June this year withdrawing on 31 December.
This follows a Security Council resolution (2559) which “urges” the government of Sudan to protect civilians in Darfur in accordance with international human rights law and international humanitarian law.
While South African soldiers and equipment were withdrawn from UNAMID some five years ago the world body’s peacekeeping department has it there were 25 South Africans on UNAMID strength when it ceased activities. Twenty-one police, three staffers and an “expert” are listed. There has been no information from any South African government department or entity, including the SA National Defence Force (SANDF) or the SA Police Service (SAPS) on UNAMID being terminated, in UN-speak.
December 30 - 2020 DARFUR / KHARTOUM / PORT SUDAN
One of the protests in Darfur against the UNAMID withdrawal (Social media)
Protests were held across the states of Darfur, demanding the continuation of the joint United Nations-African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID).
Hundreds of displaced people marched from local camps in Central Darfur to the UNAMID headquarters in Zalingei, calling on the international community to reconsider the end of the mission.
Protestors said that the withdrawal of UNAMID exacerbates the deterioration of the security situation and leads to rising levels of crime. They also pointed out that women face physical, sexual and verbal violence, and that they are in fear of being forced to return to their lands and villages.