UN Integrated Assessment Team visits Sortony, North Darfur

Photo by Emmanuel Emasealu, UNAMID.

Photo by Emmanuel Emasealu, UNAMID.

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14 Feb 2017

UN Integrated Assessment Team visits Sortony, North Darfur

A United Nations Integrated Assessment Team, led by UNAMID Deputy Joint Special Representative (DJSR)-Protection, Bintou Keita, travelled to Sortony, North Darfur from 29-31 January 2017. 

The mission conducted an assessment of the situation at the UNAMID Team Site, the adjacent Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) Gathering Site and the nearby Kube water point. Extensive meetings were held with Team Site and humanitarian personnel, displaced women and leaders as well as nomadic leaders at the water point. Representatives of the displaced community expressed their appreciation to UNAMID and the humanitarian agencies for providing protection and humanitarian assistance to them the past year.

The Mission's peacekeepers, through short- and long-range patrols, provide continuous protection to residents of the Gathering Site. Additionally, specific patrols were instituted for women undertaking livelihood activities such as firewood collection and farming. UNAMID Police also patrol within the Gathering Site, including on foot, to maintain regular contact with the residents. 

Furthermore, four observation posts have been constructed at strategic points inside the Gathering Site to provide peacekeepers with a clear view into the camp and surrounding areas.

The Assessment Team also engaged community leaders on the desirability of working with UNAMID's Civil Affairs Section (CAS) to address urgent issues, especially those which could potentially degenerate into serious inter-communal conflicts. For its part, CAS collaborates with local opinion leaders, who have played a positive role in ongoing reconciliation efforts between IDPs in Sortony. Moreover, the Section supports native administration in bringing feuding parties to the negotiating table.

The visiting team included UNAMID staff from Civil Affairs, Protection of Civilians and Humanitarian Liaison, Gender, Legal Affairs, Rule of Law, Communications and Public Information sections, as well as the Deputy Humanitarian Coordinator for Darfur and members of the United Nations Country Team (UNCT).