AMIS TRANSFERS AUTHORITY TO UNAMID

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KHARTOUM 000002 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPT FOR AF/SPG, S/CRS DEPT PLS PASS USAID FOR AFR/SUDAN E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL KPKO SOCI AU UNSC SU SUBJECT: AMIS TRANSFERS AUTHORITY TO UNAMID ¶1. (U) Under clear blue sunny skies with drums beating and bugles blowing, Joint Special Representative (JSR) Rodolphe Adada presided over the transfer of authority from AMIS to UNAMID at 1200 on December 31, 2007, at UNAMID Headquarters in El Fasher, North Darfur. The Wali (Governor) of North Darfur, Osman Mohamed Yousif Kibir, represented the Government of Sudan. Other dignitaries included UNMIS Special Representative of the Secretary General (SRSG) Ambassador Ashraf Qazi; Ambassador Mahmoud Kane, on behalf of the AU Chair; and GEN Martin Luther Agwai, AMIS/UNAMID Force Commander. The two-hour ceremony was well attended and included representatives of the Sudanese Armed Forces, UN and AMIS staff, NGO representatives and the press. There did not appear to be any rebel representatives (neither signatories nor non-signatories of the DPA and/or the humanitarian ceasefire agreement). ¶2. (U) A stand-alone AU flag was lowered for the last time, and JSR Adada, Ambassador Kane and GEN Agwai signed the transfer of authority certificate. The UN and AU flags were then raised simultaneously. In his remarks, UNMIS SRSG Qazi recognized the support UNMIS had provided to the nascent UNAMID operation over the past several months. He noted UNAMID would soon be the largest UN mission in the world and called on all parties to shun violence and participate in the peace process. "A comprehensive peace can only be achieved when all parts of this beautiful country have achieved peace and harmony," Qazi declared. ¶3. (U) Noting that the AU force had worked under extremely difficult conditions, the Wali pledged the GoS' full cooperation with UNAMID, including at the local level, and renewed Sudan's commitment to implement UNSCR 1769. "The Government is committed to all the agreements and understandings it has reached with the UN and the AU and will provide all the necessary support for the success of the hybrid operation." He also called upon UNAMID to cooperate with local authorities as well. ¶4. (U) JSR Adada began his comments with a moment of silence for AMIS personnel who had died bringing peace to Darfur. He paid tribute the sacrifices of the men and women of AMIS and their contributions toward peace to Darfur, noting that UNAMID would build on the foundation left by AMIS. Adada called on all Darfuris to cooperate with UNAMID, which would have a more robust mandate and be more "technically capable." He urged the various parties to observe the ceasefire, to respect UNAMID's right of freedom of movement, and to participate in peace negotiations. ¶5. (U) JSR Adada then read a joint statement from UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon and AU Chair Professor Alpha Oumar Konare. In their statement Moon and Konare acknowledged the unprecedented nature of the UNAMID hybrid operation, saying it required "a great deal of dedication and the full support of the entire international community." They called upon troop and police contributing countries to "speed up the required pre-deployment preparations and arrive in the theatre of operations as soon as possible." They noted "critical gaps" in ground transportation units and aviation assets "essential to the mobility of the force and its ability to adequately protect the civilian population of the vast area of Darfur." They also noted that UNAMID would need the active cooperation of the Government of Sudan. They urged all parties to cease military action and come to the negotiating table to settle their differences. Finally, they recognized the service of the "valiant men and women of AMIS who have given their all in the service of peace -- some making the ultimate sacrifice." ¶6. (U) After the Wali left, GEN Agwai exchanged his green African Union beret for a blue UN one and the soldiers on the field did the same - with practiced precision and more than a little military parade-style flair. ¶7. (SBU) COMMENT: While the TOA ceremony went off without major problems, the wrangling that preceded it was symbolic of the difficulties UNAMID will face. First, the GoS wanted a large, public ceremony with high-level delegations from New York, Addis Ababa and Khartoum. Then, it changed its mind and wanted only a local, low-key event. At the last moment, it tried to hijack JSR Adada, saying he was needed in Khartoum in order to attend Sudanese National Day festivities the same day as TOA in El Fasher. Twenty-four hours before the TOA, there was still no agreement on whether UNAMID soldiers would wear the UN blue beret. The apparent compromise is that they will wear the blue beret but must wear an AU sleeve badge as well - and the beret changing at TOA occurred only after the Wali had left. ¶8. (SBU) COMMENT CONT: The AU has also left behind significant operational problems for UNAMID. Although it is reported that there are sufficient AU funds to pay outstanding AMIS bills (such as MSA for soldiers, police monitors, CFC party reps and military observers) payment of these critically sensitive items has not yet occurred. KHARTOUM 00000002 002 OF 002 ¶8. (U) Tripoli minimize considered. POWERS