6 October 2008 -- The newly appointed United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, Alain Le Roy, arrived in Khartoum today, on his first visit to the country since he assumed his post.

Mr. Le Roy is scheduled to arrive in El Fasher, North Darfur, on Wednesday 8 October, as the first leg of a visit that will also take him to Nyala in South Darfur and El Geneina in West Darfur.

During his tour of the region, Mr. Le Roy will get first hand information on the Darfur issue through meetings and discussions with Mr. Rodolphe Adada, the Joint Special Representative of the AU-UN Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID) and senior officials, Governors of the three Darfur States, and the leader of the Sudanese Liberation Army/Movement (SLM/A) Minni Minawi.

During his tour, Mr. Leroy will be visiting UNAMID battalions and team sites, several camps of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), as well as UN Agencies, Programs and Funds.

A press stakeout is scheduled to take place at the UNAMID Headquarters on Thursday 9 October at 18:30 pending confirmation.

Alain Le Roy was appointed Head of the UN Department for Peacekeeping Operations by the United Nations Secretary-General on 30 June 2008.