Is Sudan ready for UNAMIDs exit?

This briefing by the Institute for Security Studies examines the challenges surrounding the planned 2020 exit of the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID) following the April 2019 military coup in Sudan. The author argues that the current security environment and the lack of a legitimate civilian government make handing over protection responsibilities to the Transitional Military Council untenable.

• The planned 2020 exit of UNAMID is complicated by the absence of a political solution to the Darfur conflict, increased instability in Sudan, and the country's suspension from the African Union. The author asserts that UNAMID's exit should only be planned once a viable national political process is established that includes Darfuri rebels to ensure sustainable peace.
• Handing over the responsibility for protecting civilians to the Transitional Military Council is deemed unjustifiable because the Council heads the Rapid Support Forces. These forces are linked to the Janjaweed militia, which has been accused of atrocities against Darfuris, and there are reports of renewed attacks by RSF-associated militias in Darfur since the Council took power.
• There is a significant divide within the UN Security Council regarding UNAMID's future. While the AU Peace and Security Council, as well as UNSC members Côte d’Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, South Africa, the United States, France, and the United Kingdom, express concerns about security vacuums, Russia and China have urged the council to proceed with the 2020 exit.
• The Transitional Military Council's May decree demanding that UNAMID hand over assets to the Rapid Support Forces was rejected by the AU Peace and Security Council, which stated assets should go to 'civilian institutions'. Consequently, UN Peacekeeping chief Jean-Pierre Lacroix suspended the handover of UNAMID sites on 14 June until the decree is rescinded.

APA

Woldemichael, S. (n.d.). Is Sudan ready for UNAMIDs exit? Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.org/iss-today/is-sudan-ready-for-unamids-exit

Chicago

Woldemichael, Shewit. Is Sudan ready for UNAMIDs exit? Institute for Security Studies, n.d. https://issafrica.org/iss-today/is-sudan-ready-for-unamids-exit.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Woldemichael |first1=Shewit |title=Is Sudan ready for UNAMIDs exit? |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |url=https://issafrica.org/iss-today/is-sudan-ready-for-unamids-exit |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{woldemichaelndsudan, author = {Woldemichael, Shewit}, title = {{Is Sudan ready for UNAMIDs exit?}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, url = {https://issafrica.org/iss-today/is-sudan-ready-for-unamids-exit}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }