ADDIS
ABEBA(August 18,2008) - The first batch of an Ethiopian
engineering company arrived Saturday to the capital of El-Fasher to
join the joint United Nations-African Union peacekeeping mission in
Darfur (UNAMID), according to reports.
Saturday's batch of 114 Ethiopian engineering personnel is part of
the advance units of 350 peacekeepers who will continue to arrive
on Sunday and Monday.
The group was welcomed by UNAMID Deputy Joint Special Representative
Henry Anyidoho who pointed out their important role to build roads,
bridges and camps for the deployment of the 5000 Ethiopian troops.Hours
after their arrival, the Ethiopian contingent departed to western
Darfur where they are deployed in Kulbus and Silea.
This Ethiopian force is part of two battalions, 850 each, to be deployed
in Darfur before the end of the year.
In a gesture of good will, the Sudanese authorities authorized the
entrance to the country of the 114 peacekeepers despite a problem
related to non-arrival of their passports, the official agency SUNA
reported.
Rodolphe
Adada, the head of the joint U.N. and African Union peacekeeping
mission for Darfur, is expected to hold a meeting tomorrow with
the undersecretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Mutrif Sidiq,
who is in charge of the UNAMID file to discuss the outstanding issues
related to the hybrid operation. |
