Burkina Faso second AU force to quit Darfur peacekeeping mission

Burkina Faso has become the second African Union country to announce its withdrawal from the joint UN-AU Mission in Darfur (Unamid). This follows a similar announcement by South Africa two weeks ago.

The Sudanese government has reiterated its commitment to the exit of Unamid, and confirmed its “continued dialogue with the African Union” and “the support of its friends in the Security Council until the UN forces exit Darfur as they entered it”.

On Wednesday, Sudan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Prof Ibrahim Ghandour, told reporters in Khartoum that Burkina Faso has notified Sudan via its Foreign Minister that it has decided to withdraw its troops from Unamid.

The Sudanese government has reiterated its commitment to the exit of Unamid, and confirmed its “continued dialogue with the African Union” and “the support of its friends in the Security Council until the UN forces exit Darfur as they entered it”.

“The African Union and the United Nations have also been notified; thus it has become the second country to decide to withdraw its troops from the Mission after South Africa,” Ghandour said.

Reports emerged in February of South Africa’s intention to withdraw from Unamid. This was followed by an official announcement by South African Defence and Military Veterans Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula two weeks ago, that a decision has been taken to withdraw the South African defence forces from Darfur in Sudan, due to difficult working conditions.

“The Sudanese government made it increasingly difficult for us to provide logistic support to our troops, and impossible for our forces to protect the women and children of that country,” Minister Mapisa-Nqakula said.