El Fasher, 18 May 2009 – The African Union-United Nations Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) today briefed the leaders of the African Union, the Arab League and the Organization of the Islamic Conference on the latest political, security, humanitarian and Mission deployment issues during a joint visit by the three leaders to North Darfur.

AU Commission Chairperson, Mr. Jean Ping; Arab League Secretary-General, Mr. Amr Moussa; and OIC Secretary-General, Dr. Ekmeleddin İhsanoğlu; and their respective delegations were received by UNAMID Joint Special Representative, Mr. Rodolphe Adada, at the Mission’s headquarters in El Fasher today.

A Sudanese Government delegation, led by the General Commissioner for Humanitarian Assistance, Mr. Hassabo Mohamed Abdel Rahman, accompanied the visiting joint delegation on its one-day visit to Darfur.

Mr. Adada led the UNAMID briefing, which focused on both the Mission’s achievements so far and its most pressing challenges in the months ahead.

In their separate addresses to the meeting, Mr. Ping, Mr. Moussa and Mr. İhsanoğlu each commended the efforts of UNAMID and pledged to work more closely with the Mission to try to achieve greater peace, security, justice and reconciliation across Darfur.

While in El Fasher, the joint delegation visited the nearby Abu Shouk camp for internally displaced persons (IDPs), where they were briefed by umdas (traditional leaders) and representatives of women and youth. They also attended a briefing and reception at the offices of the Wali (Governor) of North Darfur state.