UN mission to Chad and Central African Republic signs status agreement

The United Nations Mission in the Central African Republic and Chad (MINURCAT) has signed a status of mission agreement with Chadian authorities that will establish the legal principles under which the operation will run in the strife-torn African country.

Victor Da Silva Angelo, the Secretary-General's Special Representative for MINURCAT, signed the agreement yesterday in N'Djamena, the Chadian capital, on behalf of the UN.

The agreement covers the activities of the mission and deals with MINURCAT funds and property, as well as the safety and security of mission personnel and their privileges and immunities.

The mission was set up by the Security Council last September to help protect civilians and facilitate humanitarian aid to thousands of people uprooted due to insecurity in the northeast of the CAR and eastern Chad and in the neighbouring Darfur region of Sudan.

It is a multidimensional operation including European Union military forces and comprising 300 police and 50 military liaison officers, as well as civilian staff, focusing on the areas of civil affairs, human rights and the rule of law.

Mr. Angelo said yesterday that he was happy that the status of mission agreement had finally been signed.

“We will work with you to tackle the issue of insecurity in Chad,” he told the Chadian representatives. “However, we will work strictly in the framework of the Security Council Resolution 1778 [which created the mission], which limits our efforts to the refugee camps and internally displaced persons (IDPs) in eastern Chad.”

The envoy added that he hoped that Chadians will be able to build on and sustain any achievements made by the mission.