UNSC extends mandate of UN-AU Mission in Darfur & instructs UN officials in Sudan to develop new strategy

In a report this month, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon accused both Khartoum and rebel groups of restricting access to areas where there had been fighting.

On Friday, 30 July 2010, the UN Security Council's 15 ambassadors unanimously adopted a British-drafted resolution that extends the mandate of the UN-AU Mission in Darfur (UNAMID), which expired Saturday, to 31 July 2011.

The Security Council called on UNAMID to give priority to protection of civilians and ensuring "safe, timely and unhindered humanitarian access" to an estimated 2 million refugees. It instructed U.N. officials in Sudan to develop a "comprehensive strategy" to achieve those targets.

The text said UNAMID, must "make full use of its mandate and capabilities, giving priority in decisions about the use of available capacity and resources to the protection of civilians in Darfur and ensuring safe, timely and unhindered humanitarian access, the safety and security of humanitarian personnel."

After closed-door consultations on Friday, council members condemned the killings in the camps, council president Joy Ogwu of Nigeria said in a statement to reporters. "UNAMID is expected to shed light on the events," she said.

On Saturday, the local authorities in South Darfur asked members of UNAMID to co-ordinate all their movements with the Sudanese security forces. A UNAMID spokesman said he was not aware of an official request along these lines.

Sudan's ministry of information, said that peacekeepers would no longer be able to avoid normal procedures at the airport in the city of Nyala in South Darfur. He added that UNAMID had been asked to hand over within 48 hours five "criminals" who he said were being sheltered by the force following clashes in Kalma, a vast camp for people displaced near Nyala.

UNAMID would not confirm if it had handed over the men, who are believed to be supporters of the Abdul Wahid faction.

SOURCES:
UN tells Darfur peace force to focus on security
Reuters by Patrick Worsnip - Saturday, 31 July 2010 at 9:40am GMT

UN-AU peace force in Darfur to stay for another year
AFP – 2 days ago

Sudan to monitor movements of UN peacekeepers
BBC - Sunday, 1 August 2010 at 01:30