Ambassador Mansour Al-Otaibi

Kuwait reiterates importance of preserving achievements made by UNAMID

15/06/2019

NEW YORK-- Kuwait called on late Friday all parties in Sudan to use self-restraint and renounce violence, stressing on the need to preserve achievements made by the joint African Union-UN Mission in Darfur (UNAMID), and encourages Sudan to take steps to extend its authority over all of Darfur region.

In a speech to the UNSC session on Darfur, Kuwaiti Permanent Representative to the UN in New York Ambassador Mansour Al-Otaibi mentioned a report on a joint assessment of the situation in Darfur, which showed the continued stability of security in the region, excluding the impact of the exit strategy (UNAMID) on the situation.

With regard to the "instruments of conflict," Al-Otaibi stressed that it was possible to deal with them through non-peacekeeping means, adding that issues relating to land, ownership, climate change, and the safe and dignified return of displaced persons, were at the heart of post-conflict peace-building efforts.

He pointed out that peacekeeping is no longer the best means for the situation in Darfur.

"On the basis of the above, we call for the continuation of the mission in the current path as agreed in resolution 2429 (2018) and presidential statement No. 19 of the Council last year." In terms of UNAMID's departure, Ambassador Al-Otaibi praised the innovative approach of the mission through the work of "liaison functions in the States", which contribute to a gradual and smooth exit of the mission through enhanced coordination with the United Nations teams in the areas of peacebuilding.

"The mission and its exit strategy cannot be held hostage to the willingness of these parties to cooperate," Al-Otaibi added.

"The Sudanese government has always cooperated in this field, which was appointed by UNAMID, represented by the Joint Special Representative, in addition to the commendable efforts of the State of Qatar and the Federal Republic of Germany," Al-Otaibi said.

"We will work within the next two weeks on a new mandate for the mission and hope to be concise and clear on one of the exit options and specific in areas that need to be focused on, such as capacity building, strengthening the rule of law, strengthening national ownership and strengthening cooperation and consistency with main member team in Darfur," he added.