UNITED NATIONS, Oct. 22 (Xinhua) -- The head of the African Union/United Nations (AU/UN) peacekeeping mission in Sudan's Darfur region said Monday that the hybrid mission is undergoing reconfiguration and drawdown before a final exit.
The mission, known by its acronym as UNAMID, together with the UN Country Team in Sudan, is in the process of finalizing the concept of the state liaison functions, which will facilitate collaboration for the mission's transition and eventual exit, said Jeremiah Mamabolo, who is also AU/UN joint special representative for Darfur.
The mission is in the process of relocating its headquarters from El Fasher to Zalingei, and his office to Khartoum, the capital city of Sudan, he told the UN Security Council.
UNAMID is on course to reduce the military component by 3,265 personnel by December 2018 and another 1,420 personnel by June 30, 2019, said Mamabolo via a video link from Johannesburg, South Africa.
The military component will continue to maintain its presence in the redefined area of responsibility in the greater Jebel Marra area, focusing on traditional peacekeeping functions while maintaining the flexibility to respond in the rest of Darfur when the situation demands, he said.
The police component will maintain an overall strength of 2,500 personnel, said Mamabolo.
The abolishment of 1,184 civilian personnel positions by the first half of 2019 is being finalized, he said.
The Security Council will be considering realistic and achievable exit benchmarks in accordance with UNAMID's redefined priorities of protecting civilians, monitoring and reporting of human rights and the facilitation of humanitarian assistance; mediation of inter-communal conflict, other local conflict and measures to address root causes; and mediation between the Sudanese government and rebel movements, he noted.
