Chinese vanguards arrive in Sudan’s Darfur to join UN-AU peacekeeping force

KHARTOUM—Vanguards of the Chinese engineering units arrived in the western Sudanese region of Darfur on Saturday to take part in the hybrid peacekeeping force of the United Nations and the African Union (AU).
The 135 Chinese peacekeepers, upon arrival in South Darfur State capital Niyala, were warmly welcomed by UN, AU and Sudanese officials at the Niyala International Airport.
The Chinese vanguards were also joined in the airport by five Chinese officers who had arrived in Niyala in August in order to receive the equipment of the Chinese peacekeepers, some of which have been transported there since September.
This is the first batch of the UN peacekeepers arriving in the region to implement UN Security Council Resolution 1769 adopted on July 31, which authorizes the deployment of a 26,000-strong hybrid peacekeeping force in Darfur. The advance troop of a 315-men engineering unit is scheduled to head for Sudan’s Darfur on Friday to attend the hybrid peacekeeping troops of the Unites Nations and the African Union, said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao here Tuesday.
The advance troop will leave Zhengzhou, capital of central China’s Henan Province, Liu told a regular press conference.
The UN-AU peacekeeping mission in Darfur is of large scale, and the situation in the region is complicated, which might cause some difficulties in the deployment, said Liu, calling for more patience from the international society.
“China supports the UN, AU and the Sudanese government make continued efforts to solve the problem via dialogue and consultation, “said Liu, adding that China opposed to politicalize relevant technical issues.
China has been committed to sending a 315-men multi-functional engineering unit to Darfur, which would be the first batch of UN-AU peacekeepers in place in Darfur, according to China’s Special Representative on African Affairs Liu Guijin. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon expressed concern on Monday over the delay in the deployment of the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID) in Sudan’s Darfur region.
“I am concerned that the security incidents over the past month and the continuing delays in the deployment of UNAMID could lead to a further deterioration in the situation on the ground,” Ban said in his latest report on Sudan.
It is urgent, he said, that at this time, those member states which are in a position to contribute the missing transportation and aviation capabilities for UNAMID do so.
Without these critical units, the mission will not be able to implement its mandate, he said.
He also urged the Sudanese government to agree to the troop composition of UNAMID jointly submitted by the African Union and the United Nations.
He reiterated that the deployment of a robust peacekeeping force will make a difference and help to improve the security conditions on the ground. However, it is only through political dialogue and inclusive consultations that the parties will be able to reach a viable, sustainable and comprehensive solution to the crisis there.
When fully operational, UNAMID, authorized by the U.N. Security Council in July, will become the largest peacekeeping force in the world, with almost 26,000 troops and police officers and nearly 5,000 civilian staff.—Xinhua