El-Fasher, 6 September 2012 -- UNAMID's national staff held yesterday a strike over the result of a salary survey that was conducted in March 2012. Following the survey results, an increase was granted. The national staff consider the increase as insufficient and demand to be either paid in US dollars or to have their salaries recalculated according to the June 2012 exchange rate.

“I understand your concerns and I am committed to work hard with the UN Headquarters to look into these issues,” said Acting Joint Special Representative Aichatou Mindaoudou in a town-hall meeting held yesterday with national staff at the Mission’s headquarters in El-Fasher. National staff from across Darfur participated in the meeting via a video teleconference.

All decisions on the salary and conditions of service in the United Nations are regulated by the Office of the Human Resources Management at UN Headquarters in New York.

UNAMID continues to work towards implementation of its mandate, which mostly includes the protection of civilians, the facilitation of the humanitarian access and contributing towards the peace process.

UNAMID’s national staff make up approximately 2,900 of the Mission’s civilian component.