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UNAMID hands over police post to the Government of Sudan police in West Darfur

Photo by Elsadig Daud, UNAMID.

On 23 April 2018, UNAMID handed over a police post at Al Riyadh camp for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in El Geneina, West Darfur, to Government of Sudan police forces. The project is part of the Mission’s efforts to strengthen rule of law and enhance security in the area. The police post is expected to help to boost the Sudanese police capacity to prevent and respond to incidents within the location.

Addressing the occasion, Luke Mhlaba, Chief of Staff, UNAMID, emphasized that rule of law and the protection of civilian populations are key ingredients in restoring peace in Darfur. “The presence of a police force upon which the population can depend on is a critical element of rule of law, in addition to the court system,” Mr. Mhlaba.

On his part, UNAMID Police Reform Adviser, Hatim Taraneh, noted that the project reflects close cooperation between Government of Sudan police and UNAMID police personnel and is an example of peacebuilding initiatives in Darfur.  “The project is the fruit of mutual cooperation between Government of Sudan police authorities and UNAMID, and falls under the Mission’s ongoing capacity-building initiatives aimed at enabling local police to serve their communities more effectively, he stated.

Lieutenant Abdurrahman Sirelkhatim, Representative, Government of Sudan Police, explained that the police post is expected to contribute significantly towards enhancing security and stability in Al Riyadh and neighboring areas.

UNAMID’s Police component focuses on supporting the physical protection of civilians, facilitating delivery of humanitarian assistance, and creating protective environment by building the capacities of the Sudanese Police Force in Darfur. Furthermore, they implement community policing ventures in collaboration with UN Country Team.