Darfur / Tripartite Committee meeting

 

 

Darfur / Tripartite Committee meeting

 

EL FASHER (DARFUR), Sudan, March 31, 2009/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Daily press briefing by the office of the spokesperson for the UN secretary-general

 

On Darfur, the Tripartite Committee meeting bringing together the Government of Sudan, the African Union and the United Nations on ways to facilitate and expedite deployment of the AU-UN peacekeeping operation in Darfur (UNAMID) is scheduled to take place tomorrow in El Fasher, Darfur.

 

The Under-Secretary-General for Field Support, Susana Malcorra, is travelling from UN Headquarters to attend that meeting, which is also intended to facilitate the work of UNAMID in Darfur.

 

UNAMID reports that it will be the first time the Tripartite Committee is meeting in Darfur.  A communiqué is expected to be issued following the meeting.

 

Meanwhile, on the ground, UNAMID reports that, during the past 72 hours, the security situation in Darfur has remained relatively calm.  However, banditry activities and carjacking incidents were reported in both North and West Darfur.

 

The mission also reports that a fire broke out last night at Al Riyad camp for internally displaced persons, near El Geneina in West Darfur.  The fire caused heavy damage to about 35 shelters, the loss of many animals, and left a large number of people homeless.  A UNAMID investigation team was dispatched to the camp to probe the cause of the fire.

 

And the advance party of the second Egyptian infantry battalion, consisting of 100 personnel, arrived in Darfur today to join UNAMID.  Another 100 personnel are expected to arrive tomorrow.

 

SOURCE : United Nations – Office of the Spokesperson of the Secretary-General