Joint Statement on Darfur by Spokespeople for United Nations Secretary-General, Chairperson of African Union Commission

The Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, and the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon, condemn Monday’s attacks by armed groups on an internally displaced persons camp and the shooting at a nearby market in Sortoni, North Darfur.  The attacks resulted in the killing of five people, including two children, and the wounding of several individuals, including a peacekeeper from Ethiopia serving with the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID).

The Chairperson and the Secretary-General express their serious concern over the recent escalation of tensions between nomadic and internally displaced person communities in the area.  They call on them to refrain from acts of violence and resolve their disputes through dialogue.  They urge the Sudanese authorities to investigate and promptly bring the perpetrators of these attacks to justice.

The Chairperson and the Secretary-General underscore that the continued implementation of UNAMID’s mandate is imperative to maintain security and protect civilians across Darfur, including those displaced as a result of the most recent fighting in Jebel Marra between the Government of Sudan and the Sudan Liberation Army/Abdul Wahid.

The Chairperson and the Secretary-General urge all parties to the conflict in Darfur to resume negotiations without further delay, under the auspices of the African Union High-Level Implementation Panel for Sudan and South Sudan, with a view to achieving a comprehensive political solution that addresses the root causes of the conflict.