Chad calls for strengthened UN peacekeeping presence in troubled east

The Foreign Minister of Chad today called for a strengthened United Nations peacekeeping mission in his country and for the reinforcement of the hybrid UN-African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) in the neighbouring war-torn Sudanese region.

Moussa Faki Mahamat, in an address to the final day of the General Assembly’s annual high-level debate, said the work of the UN Mission in the Central African Republic and Chad (MINURCAT) and the wider international community was vital to help restoring the balance in eastern Chad.

Fighting between Government forces and rebels in the east, as well as troubles in neighbouring Darfur and the Central African Republic (CAR), led to massive civilian displacement and prompted the Security Council to authorize the establishment of MINURCAT last year.

MINURCAT currently has 768 personnel on the ground out of the 1,549 authorized in both countries, but in his latest report earlier this month Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon proposed sending 6,000 troops to replace the 3,000-strong EUFOR, whose mandate is set to expire on 15 March.

Mr. Mahamat noted that the 290,000 Sudanese refugees and 180,000 displaced Chadians in eastern Chad were a matter of grave concern and said the country’s president, Idriss Deby, remained firm in his efforts to undertake a political dialogue with both the democratic opposition and the armed movements on the way to national reconciliation.