24 July 2008 -- 126 members of the Egyptian Engineering Company arrived today from Cairo joining 83 personnel already deployed in El Fasher on 7 June as part of the advanced team. UNAMID is expecting to receive the other126 in the next few days so that the company full strength will be 335 personnel.

The Egyptian Engineering company is composed of an engineering platoon (de-mining), a construction platoon, an explosive ordinance disposal squadron, a special force squadron for protection, road platoon capable of constructing four km of road per week, and a water desalination platoon capable of producing two cubic meters of pure water per hour.

As explained by Jagdish Rele, UNAMID’s Chief Engineer, “The Egyptian Company has already been assigned the construction and maintenance of El Fasher airport.” Upon completion, the project will have the greatest impact on the Mission’s deployment and on logistical and tactical support.

Once fully deployed, the Egyptian Engineering Company will be one of UNAMID’s significant assets – a fully self-sustaining element, capable of efficient performance under extremely tough conditions.