Sudan, France discuss security situation in Darfur

Sudan and France on Saturday discussed the security situation in Darfur and exit of the United Nations - African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) from the region.

A French delegation headed by deputy permanent representative to the United Nations Alexis Lamek on Saturday held talks in Khartoum with Sudan's foreign ministry under-secretary Abdul-Ghani Al-Naeem.

"The French delegation discussed UNAMID's activity and its exit strategy in light of the positive developments and improvement of the situation in Darfur, which necessitates reducing the size and forces of the mission according to outcomes of the joint work group," said Sudan's Foreign Ministry in a statement.

"Al-Naeem conveyed to the French delegation efforts of the Sudanese government and partners to tackle the conditions of displaced people in Darfur region together with efforts of the regular forces to collect the arms in the region," according to the statement.

The Sudanese official further urged France to play a bigger positive role to support the peace efforts in Sudan.

In February 2015, a tripartite committee composed of Sudan's government, the UN and the African Union, was formed with the aim to reach a deal on UNAMID's exit from Darfur.

UNAMID took over the peacekeeping task in Darfur from the African Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS) on December 31, 2007.

The UNAMID is considered the second biggest peacekeeping mission in the world, after the UN Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

It consists of over 20,000 personnel of military, police and civilian components, with a budget of 1.4 million U.S. dollars in 2013.

source: Xinhua