A Conversation with Ibrahim Gambari

On 10 July 2012, in a lengthy conversation at UNAMID headquarters in El Fasher, Ibrahim Gambari talked with Voices of Darfur about his role as Joint Special Representative, the challenges he has faced and the prospects of a renewed Darfur peace process.

By Abdullahi Shaibu

Brokering a comprehensive peace solution to the conflict in Darfur has been the job of UNAMID Joint Special Representative Ibrahim Gambari, a former Foreign Minister from Nigeria.

Appointed to the UNAMID position on 1 January 2010, Mr. Gambari came to the Mission with diplomatic skills, United Nations experience and knowledge of Africa. Prior to his current role, he held the position of the Under Secretary-General for Political Affairs at UN Headquarters in New York and Special Adviser to the UN Secretary-General on Africa.

During his tenure as JSR, Mr. Gambari has been on the move, in and around Darfur, to meet with the Sudanese Government and armed movements, garner international support for the Mission and brief AU and UN leaders on his efforts to facilitate peace in Darfur.

In a lengthy conversation at UNAMID headquarters in El Fasher, Mr. Gambari talked with Voices of Darfur about his role as JSR, the challenges he has faced and the prospects of a renewed Darfur peace process.

Voices of Darfur: What was your reaction when approached by the UN Secretary-General about this assignment?

Gambari: I was hearing rumours that I was likely being considered to come here, but at that time I was too busy working on Myanmar and on the International Compact with Iraq. Also, I had been a headquarters man since my first appointment at the UN Secretariat in December 1999, except for a few months when I went to Angola as Special Representative to the Secretary-General. Really, I was not enthusiastic, so I proposed a Nigerian for the position.

I nominated somebody who was a retired General in the Nigerian Army with vast military experience. He was a former foreign minister, a former senator, and a former administrator of a state government in Nigeria. He was offered the job. However, he turned it down so they came back to me and the Secretary-General said I must go. The eyes of the world were on Darfur. I did not have a choice, but I am glad I came here because it is a great challenge.

Read the full interview with Ibrahim Gambari in the August issue of Voices of Darfur. Download the magazine (PDF) here.