UN Security Council calls for ‘sustainable solutions’ for millions in Darfur News
UN Security Council calls for ‘sustainable solutions’ for millions in Darfur

The UN Security Council [official website] said in a statement [press release] Wednesday that they are in support of reviewing and adjusting priorities in its Darfur Peacekeeping Operation, underlining the need for sustainable solutions for more than 2.7 million people displaced within the region.

The 15-member organ, headed by Kairat Umarov (of Kazakhstan), Council President for January, called for enhanced cooperation between the government of Sudan and the international community in search of “dignified and durable solutions” for such displaced, and expressed its support for a review that would consider a new mission concept for the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID) [official website].

The council said that six years after the adoption of Doha Document for Peace in Darfur [text, PDF], the people of Darfur had yet to fully benefit from it. They welcomed the signing of an African Union High-Level Implementation Panel road map by the Government and armed movements and urged them to make immediate progress on its implementation.

“The Security Council, notwithstanding the significant decrease in intercommunal conflicts, remains concerned that it is one of the sources of violence in Darfur and expresses concern that the improvement in the overall security situation has not translated into a commensurate reduction in the level of human rights violations and abuses, such as sexual and gender-based violence, and serious violations against children, perpetrated with impunity,” said the President of the council.

The President’s statement found optimism in the Government of Sudan’s written consent January 8 to the opening of a temporary UNAMID base in Golo, Jebel Marra, to support humanitarian efforts and protection of civilians.