The signing of the Humanitarian Ceasefire Agreement on 8 April 2005 by the government of Sudan (GoS), Sudan Peoples Liberation Movement/Army (SPLM/A) and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) paved the way for the African Union (AU) to approve the African Mission in Sudan (AMIS) on 28 May 2005. Later the first deployment of a force composed of 80 military observers (MilObs) and 600 soldiers as protectors was approved. At the 17th meeting of the PSC the mission was enlarged to make provision for a staff of 3,320 and a budget of US$220 million. After a joint assessment of AMIS, the PSC decided on 28 April 2005 to further enlarge the mission to 6,171 military personnel and 1,560 police, with a budget of US$466 million.
Force structure
At the moment AMIS has deployed a force of 3,320 personnel. This includes 2,341 military personnel, among them 450 MilObs, up to 815 civilian police personnel, and the appropriate civilian staff. At the end of May 2005, the force levels were as follows:
454 MilObs;
245 civilian police;
26 international and Cease fire Commission
members;
1,647 soldiers as part of the protection force from Nigeria (587), Rwanda (392), Gambia (196), Senegal (196), Kenya (MP) (35), South Africa (241) and Mozambique (1 x strengthened company of approximately 280 men)
Mission statement and mandated tasks
AMIS was deployed with a mandate to monitor and observe compliance with the Humanitarian Ceasefire Agreement of 8 April 2004 and assist in the process of confidence building. It is also mandated to contribute to securing the environment for the delivery of humanitarian relief and, beyond that, the return of internally displaced persons (IDPs) and refugees. The table below presents a summary of the mission’s principal tasks.
Mission structure
Ambassador Baba Gana Kingibe has been appointed special representative of the African Union (AU) in Sudan. In that capacity, his role is to ensure the overall direction and coordination of the activities of the mission and to maintain close contact with the Sudanese parties, the UN and all other concerned actors. Ambassador Kingibe has already assumed his duties in Khartoum and is in regular contact with the Sudanese parties and members of the international community, including the United Nations (UN) Secretary-General’s special representative, Jan Pronk.
AMIS' tasks
Conduct area reconnaissance to determine sector sites and priorities of operation.
Establish sector headquarters (HQs) and sites according to the scheme of deployment.
Liaise with the local authorities of all parties at sector and tactical area of responsibility (TAOR) l evels.
Monitor and verify the activities of all parties and the security situation in and around declared safe areas.
Monitor and verify the provision of security for returning IDPs and in the vicinity of existing IDP camps, through the GoS.
Monitor and verify the cessation of all hostile acts by all the parties.
Monitor and verify hostile militia activities against the population.
Monitor and verify the overall security situation within the area of responsibility (AOR).
Monitor and verify attempts of the GoS to disarm government-controlled militias.
Investigate and report allegations of violations of the 8 April 2004 Humanitarian Ceasefire Agreement.
Protect AU personnel, equipment and installations.
Protect observer patrols on vehicle and heli-borne deployment as required.
Be prepared to protect civilians under imminent threat in the immediate vicinity, within capabilities.
Be prepared to protect both static and mobile humanitarian operations under imminent threat and in the immediate vicinity, within capabilities.
Provide a visible military presence by patrolling and establishing temporary outposts in order to deter uncontrolled armed groups from committing hostile acts against the population.
Major General Festus Okonkwo from Nigeria has been appointed force commander. As such, he chairs the Ceasefire Commission (CFC) with Brigadier General Jean Bosco Kazura of Rwanda (the deputy force commander). South Africa has provided the head of the AMIS civilian police component and Ghana the deputy head. Furthermore, and in order to give back-up to the mission with strategic planning and management support, a team known as the Darfur Integrated Task Force (DITF) has been established at the AU Commission. The mission structure is therefore as follows:
The military component and military sectors of AMIS
The military component of AMIS consists of the following:
Force HQ;
One airmobile special forces company, which will constitute the military component reserve;
One explosive ordinance device (EOD)/de-mining platoon;
One light field engineer platoon;
One military police platoon;
Military interpreter pool;
Eight sector HQs;
Four MilOb teams for each sector;
One enhanced infantry company in each sector; and
One helicopter squadron in three selected sectors with six to nine (El Fasher) medium transport helicopters (these will eventually be civilian assets).
In addition to the above, the military component has established eight sector sites that the MilOb teams operate from (within the boundaries of their TAORs). The TAORs are based on current regional and administrative boundaries and are consistent with those proposed for the civilian police component. Each MilOb team consists of ten MilObs, with representation of the parties, and an infantry protection platoon. Sector HQs will have a support group (level I medical facility, maintenance package and fuel operators).
The military and the civilian police HQs of AMIS are located in El Fasher, which is also the HQ for sector 1 (see map below). There are seven other sectors located as follows: Nyala (sector 2), El Geneina (sector 3), Kabkabiyah (sector 4), Tine (sector 5), Kutum (sector 6), Zalinguei (sector 7) and El Daien (sector 8).
Deployment concept and logistics
Following the approval of the mandate, AMIS was deployed as follows:
Phase 1: M + 30
reconnaissance and logistic development;
Phase 2: M + 45
developing military component HQ and the current operation;
Phase 3: M + 60
initial establishment of sector HQs and team sites at sector centre;
Phase 4: M + 75
full establishment of sector HQs and team sites at sector centre;
Phase 5: M + 120
full deployment throughout the sectors.
As regards logistics, the mission has 572 vehicles, 18 helicopters and 2 fixed-wing aircraft for the transport of goods and personnel. The communication equipment, which comprises 105 Thurayas, 467 VHF vehicle radios, 169 HF vehicle and base station radios, 1,206 handheld radios and VHF base stations, has arrived in Khartoum.
By the end of May 2005, vehicle and communication requirements (which, until recently, constituted critical constraints) were successfully addressed. Furthermore, the US government has provided equipment for three rapid response teams, and a request for funding for equipment for other teams has been submitted to the UK government, which has agreed to provide assistance. This will enable the mission to rapidly deploy small units so that it can undertake preventive deployments, among others.
Funding and what is to come
Current budget estimates for the enhanced AMIS, the Inter-Sudanese Peace Talks in Abuja and the DITF are US$221,767,565; US$1,881,500; and US$3,646,379 respectively. This brings the total estimate to US$227,295,443. It should be noted that US$248,418,670 has already been pledged by AU partners.
According to a report by the UN Secretary- General dated 3 May 2005, AMIS is effective where it is deployed and needs strengthening so that it can expand its presence to cover more of the vast and difficult terrain of Darfur. This was coincident with the findings of an AU assessment mission that visited Darfur in March 2005, which noted that AMIS is extremely hard pressed to implement its mandate effectively and that the mission remains well short of being fully operational. Its weakness can be pinned down to three categories: command and control, logistical support and operational practice.
The second phase of deployment, June to August 2005, will see the deployment of more troops that will allow AMIS to reach a force level of 5,887 military personnel and 1,560 civilian police – this will undoubtedly improve the effectiveness with which the mission accomplishes its mandate and tasks. In addition, a third phase is foreseen, to be decided on in September 2005. This phase would require a major increase in the AMIS, an increase estimated by the AU and the UN to bring AMIS to a total strength of 12,300 military, police and civilian personnel. The specific aim of the third phase, which might be viewed as a follow-on mission since it would take the operation to an entirely new stage, would be to adequately secure the environment throughout Darfur so that all displaced persons would be able to return to their homes. This will require close coordination between the military, civilian police, humanitarian and development organisations, civil authorities and the affected population, and should aim at completion before the spring 2006 planting season.
