Document - Sudan: Empty Promises on Darfur: United States of America factsheet

Empty promises on Darfur

United states of america Fact Sheet

The USA is a large contributor to peacekeeping operations in the world and has played an important role in the deployment of the joint United Nations-African Union peacekeeping force (UNAMID) to Darfur, Sudan.

It is reported that the USA supported the predecessor to UNAMID, the African Union Mission in Darfur (AMIS), through infrastructure development and maintenance, and through the transportation of peacekeepers to Darfur. ¹

In December 2008, the White House reported that since 2006, the USA had spent more than US$15 million airlifting peacekeepers and their equipment. It also stated that the USA had invested more than US$ 100 million in training and providing equipment to peacekeepers. ²

The same document reports that the USA has provided more than US$ 600 million since 2004 in direct and indirect contributions to peacekeeping operations in Darfur.

PLEDGES BY THE USA

On 31 July 2007, the USA pledged to contribute approximately a quarter of UNAMID’s costs, which represents its assessed contributions to the UN. The USA also promised to explore options for providing logistical support to UNAMID.³

In early 2008, former President Bush announced that the USA would dedicate US$ 100 million to equip and train 6000 UNAMID peacekeepers.⁴

In April 2008, the State department reported that US$ 550,4 million was appropriated by Congress under the 2008 fiscal year to support UNAMID. The report also stated that the US would raise US$ 333,6 million to support UNAMID, bringing its total support to US$ 884 million, which is the US’s aggregate share of the UNAMID budget. ⁵

On 5 January 2009, just before the end of his term, former President George W. Bush ordered an immediate airlift of supplies, including trucks and other urgently needed equipment to UNAMID in Darfur.⁶

CURRENT STATUS

The USA met its US$884 million share of the assessed costs of UNAMID for the 2007-2008 fiscal year through supplemental appropriations enacted in June 2008. Out of the US$ 100 million that was pledged for equipping and training African troops, the USA is reported to have dedicated US$ 40 million for the training and equipment of four Rwandan battalions. According to the USA department of State by December 2007, the USA had spent more than US$ 40 million on training, equipping and deploying more than 7000 Rwandan peacekeepers.⁷

The USA has not yet stated how much it will contribute to UNAMID for the 2008-2009 fiscal years.

The USA is reported to have authorized 10 military personnel to take part in UNAMID, but by September 2008 only two had been deployed due to difficulties in securing visas from the government of Sudan.⁸

On 15 January 2009, two US planes arrived in Darfur, carrying a first batch of equipment that included trucks, water trailers, tents and other equipment and supply. The equipment was airlifted from Rwanda, following President Bush’s pledge to expedite the delivery of equipment to UNAMID.⁹

RECOMMENDATIONS

• The USA has the political, military and financial capacity to play a larger role in supporting UNAMID. It should deploy its full complement of peacekeepers;

• The USA should pledge and deliver helicopters and other essential equipment to UNAMID to enable it to fulfil its protection mandate;

• The USA should use its influence to encourage other countries to provide UNAMID with the necessary air and ground transport equipment, as well as other essential human, material and financial resources.