Determined to Improve Performance of African Union-UN Operation in Darfur,

Secretary-General Instructs Secretariat to Review Recent Allegations

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon:

The Secretary-General is concerned about the recent serious allegations against the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID). These allegations cover a wide range of issues, including inaccurate reporting of the facts on the ground in Darfur, specific instances of failure to protect civilians and accusations of mismanagement of UNAMID.

UNAMID has undergone several investigations and reviews over the last two years, which have sought to address both strategic issues and specific incidents related to the mission's performance.  The Secretary-General’s Special Report of 25 February provides an overview of the strategic and managerial challenges faced by the mission and the work being done at United Nations Headquarters and in UNAMID to address them.

The Secretary-General remains committed to improving UNAMID performance and is determined to take all necessary steps to correct any wrongdoing.  He has instructed the Secretariat to review the reports of all investigations and inquiries undertaken since mid-2012 to ensure that their recommendations have been implemented and that any relevant issues have been fully addressed.  This review, to be completed within one month, will enable the Secretary-General to determine what has already been done and, if recommendations are outstanding, what corrective action needs to be taken.

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For information media • not an official record