UN forces in Sudan

"The tragic situation in Darfur is one of the greatest challenges that the international community faces. But I believe that working together we can and will improve the lives of the people of Darfur. And we will continue working until their suffering is brought to an end."
Prime Minister Gordon Brown

The UK is working at the UN to help bring an end to a conflict that has claimed around 200,000 lives, seen around two million people lose their homes and livelihoods, and resulted in as many as four million people being in need of food aid.

UK objectives:

• A sustainable cessation of hostilities involving all parties;
• Successful outcome to the UN/AU-chaired political negotiations;
• Effective deployment of the world's biggest peacekeeping operation (United Nations African Union Mission in Darfur - UNAMID) with a robust mandate, under Chapter VII of the UN Charter, to protect civilians;
• An effective EU force across the border in Chad and CAR to protect civilians who have fled from Darfur and progress on the North-South peace agreement.
  

Most recent

On 9 July 2008, the Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) briefed the Security Council on an attack on UNAMID in which seven peacekeepers were killed and 22 injured. On 16 July the Security Council adopted a UK-drafted Presidential Statment condemning the 8 July attack on UNAMID.

On 14 July, the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court Luis Moreno-Ocampo announced that he had requested an arrest warrant against Sudanese President Bashir for committing genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes in Darfur.

Background

Since February 2003, the Government of Sudan has engaged in a campaign in the western Darfur region of the country against two rebel movements, the Sudan Liberation Army (SLA) and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), which oppose the Khartoum Government in wanting a more independent Darfur. The four-year crisis (which continued attacks from both the Government of Sudan and the rebel movements are prolonging) in Darfur has seen appalling human rights violations.

On 19 December 2006 the UN Secretary General appointed former Swedish Foreign Minister Jan Eliasson as his Special Envoy to work along side AU Special Envoy Salim Salim to promote a new inclusive political process and to negotiate a cease-fire so that a lasting peace settlement in Darfur can be secured. The UK wants to see all the parties to the conflict attend and all the parties to agree to, and implement, a cease-fire to indicate their commitment to the talks.

On 31 July 2007, the UN Security Council unanimously adopted UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1769 (drafted by the UK) which mandates the deployment of a joint UN/AU 26,000-strong peacekeeping operation in Darfur, with a robust mandate, under Chapter VII of the UN Charter, to protect civilians. The force took over from AU troops on 1 January 2008.

Violence is also increasing in eastern Chad and the north-eastern Central African Republic as the conflict in Darfur spills-over Sudan's borders. Sudan is supporting Chadian rebels and Chad is supporting Sudanese rebels. To help protect internally displaced persons (IDPs) and refugees in Chad and CAR and facilitate humanitarian access, the UN Security Council unanimously adopted on UNSCR 1778 on 25 September 2007 mandating the deployment of an EU force.

The UK is also working to support the implementation of the North South peace agreement.  The UK drafted a Presidential Statement adopted by the Security Council on 13 May 2008. UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1812, extended the mandate of the United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) until 30 April 2009.

The Security Council visited Sudan in early June, travelling to Juba to meet Vice President Salva Kiir, and then to Khartoum to meet President Bashir, and then to Darfur. For a full read-out of that mission, read the ambassador's statement on the Council's return.  As a result of the meeting with the Sudanese representatives, the Security Council adopted, without further debate, a Presidential Statement on 16 June 2008, urging Sudan to co-operate fully with the ICC in accordance with Security Council resolution 1593.

On 24 June 2008, the Secretary General’s Special Envoys Jan Eliasson and Salim Salim briefed the Council on their observations over the last 18 months of the deteriorating situation in Darfur.The UK’s statement in the Security Council, following their briefing, addressed the six key factors highlighted in Jan Eliasson’s report.