11 August 2011 - Upon his return to El Fasher, Joint Special Representative (JSR) Ibrahim Gambari said today in a briefing to staff that he had assured Government of Sudan officials whom he met in Khartoum over 9 and 10 August that the African Union-United Nations Mission in Darfur would fully respect the sovereignty and integrity of the Republic of the Sudan while implementing the UNAMID mandate.

The latest Security Council resolution (2003) which continued the UNAMID mandate from 31 July 2011 to 31 July 2012 was amongst the issues discussed in meetings the JSR held in Khartoum over the past two days.
 
On 9 August, JSR Gambari met with Sudanese Foreign Minister Ali Ahmed Karti and briefed the Minister on recent UNAMID activities. He also informed the Minister of his recent visit to Doha to meet with the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) and the Qatari Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, in his capacity as Joint Chief Mediator, Ad Interim, for the Darfur peace process.

The JSR noted with concern the increased number of peacekeepers being attacked and killed in the course of their duties, and called on the GoS to do its utmost to bring the perpetrators to Justice. Three peacekeepers have been killed in Darfur in separate incidents over the past four months.
 
The JSR and the Foreign Minister exchanged views on Government of Sudan (GoS) concerns regarding Security Council Resolution 2003. The JSR stressed UNAMID’s commitment to work with all parties to implement UNAMID’s mandate while respecting the sovereignty and integrity of the Republic of the Sudan and the imperatives of Security Council resolutions.

  JSR Ibrahim Gambari addresses UNAMID staff in today's town hall meeting. Photo by Albert González Farran

In today's town hall meeting with staff, the JSR reiterated that UNAMID's mandate remains the protection of civilians, the facilitation of humanitarian assistance, the opening of humanitarian access to areas which had been inaccessible for aid delivery due to conflict and the proactive implementation of the peace agreement document signed in Doha, along with the engagement of non-signatories to join the process.

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