Lessons from Darfur: Ethiopia, Sudan and Egypt

[Old_Observer]

There has been peace keepers in Darfur for a long time. Egypt had some 3,000 soldiers in Darfur from beginning and Egypt was hosting through Eritrea some 3 of Darfur rebels. The last 5 years the situation in Darfur had abruptly changed. Darfur went off the news media, peace keepers were enabled to go everywhere and interact with the population, rebels who swore not to go to Ethiopia to negotiate peace started tripping over each other as to who reaches first to Addis Ababa. President Al Bashir who was unfairly demonized and his removal sought is now seen as necessary person for the peace in Darfur.

What and how was the dramatic change achieved in short 5 months time?

1. The UN was in dire need of Air support for peace keepers. Out of the 3 countries that offered that service only one was deemed competent and unanimously selected by UNSC and AU. That country was Ethiopia. Ethiopia deployed Air support in short order.

2. There were too many countries and some unhelpful ones like Egypt that needed to be contained or eliminated from the field. A lot of countries were not co-operating with Sudan.There was neighboring Chad and Libya who were unhelpful and in some cases destructive. A lot of countries were taken off the list and replaced by one country that has enough force and capability to influence the situation. This country was Ethiopia. Ethiopia deployed more than 5,000 force again in short order.

A. Chad was threatened with its own security. Chad negotiated with Sudan and was neutralized

B. Gaddafi was eliminated and sent to meet his maker

C. Egyptian soldiers were threatened enough to remain in a camp and avoid any contact with anyone, else could be liquidated in the desert with some pretext or another

D. Direct contact with clan elders was institutionalized, peace keepers were digging water wells, setting clinics with Sudanese medical personnel and Sudanese government

E. Rebels were all threatened with credible force to negotiate direct with Sudanese government, in some cases in the desert, since the Ethiopian force was credible and had the confidence of Sudan government and slowly but surely the rebels.

In less than a year all the objectives the Ethiopians involved themselves with were achieved. There is relative peace in Darfur and some of the Rebels have even joined the government.

 

[Old_Observer]

 

 

April 8, 2018 (KHARTOUM) - African Union, UN and Sudan mechanism on UNAMID Sunday have agreed that the continued improvement of security situation creates favourable conditions for the withdrawal of more peacekeepers from Darfur.

The Tripartite Coordination Mechanism tasked with the implementation of UNAMID’s mandate met Sunday in Khartoum to discuss the ongoing troops’ reconfiguration process which ultimately should lead to the full withdrawal of peacekeeping mission from Darfur.

The forces’ reduction plan is based on the improvements in the security and humanitarian situations as well as the absence of clashes between government forces and the armed opposition.

"On the Exit Strategy, the participants of the meeting agreed on the significant improvement of the security and humanitarian situation in Darfur, which is creating conditions for a further substantial reconfiguration of UNAMID," said a statement issued by the three parties in Khartoum.

"They expressed satisfaction about the implementation of UNAMID’s reconfiguration, and the coordinated implementation of UNAMID reconfiguration in phase (1) and phase (2) so far," further said the statement.

Phase one of the reconfiguration, which was completed on 1 January 2018, includes the closure of 11 UNAMID team sites and reductions in military personnel from 15,845 to 11,395 and in police personnel from 3,403 to 2,888.

Last February; the UNAMID launched the second phase which should terminate by the end of June. It involves a further reduction of military personnel to 8, 735 and police personnel to 2,500.

However, due to the presence of rebel fighters in Jebel Marra, the ongoing process excludes the mountainous area and even provides to establish a temporary operating base (TOB) at Golo, Central Darfur.

The Sudanese government delegation for the meeting was led by Omer Siddig, the Acting Undersecretary of the Foreign Ministry, The AU delegation was led by Smail Chergui the AU Commissioner for Peace and Security, while the UN delegation was led by Jean-Pierre Lacroix, UN Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations and the UNAMID delegation was led by its chief Kingsley Mamabolo.

Last January, the Security Council issued a presidential statement on the situation in Darfur region and said concerned by the need for a sustainable solution to the 2.7 displaced persons who have been residing in the camps since 2004.

The Council further called on the international community to back the government’s efforts to address IDPs situation and stressed it should be done in harmony with the international law.