Microsoft Word - Agwai Darfur Seminar.doc

This report documents a seminar held on 1 October 2008 in Pretoria, featuring a presentation by General Martin Luther Agwai, the UNAMID Force Commander. General Agwai discusses the complexities of the conflict in Darfur, the transition from the African Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS) to the AU-UN Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID), and the significant operational and logistical challenges facing the mission.

• General Agwai argues that the Darfur conflict is not simply a clash between nomadic Arab tribes and farming African communities, but is rooted in socio-economic, environmental, and political changes in Sudan during the 1980s, as well as historical violence and marginalization.
• The African Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS) is often incorrectly viewed as a failure because it was mistaken for a peacekeeping operation when its actual role was limited to observation. With fewer than 8,000 personnel, it was insufficient to protect civilians in an area the size of Kenya or twice the size of Ghana.
• UNAMID faces severe operational deficits, including having fewer than 10,000 troops despite a requirement for 26,000, a total lack of attack (6) and utility (18) helicopters, and deteriorating equipment inherited from AMIS.
• The mission's effectiveness is hindered by logistical constraints, including a lack of proper roads for heavy equipment, reliance on a single port for all Sudanese imports and exports, and limited airport capacity in Darfur for heavy aircraft.
• UNAMID operates in a highly volatile environment characterized by fragmented rebel movements—estimated at approximately 30 groups—and is caught between various conflicting parties, including the Government of Sudan, rebels, and cross-border tensions between Sudan and Chad.
• Despite its challenges, UNAMID has achieved success in protecting civilians by escorting women and children collecting firewood, mediating local disputes, and providing security for UN agencies and NGOs delivering humanitarian assistance.
• General Agwai asserts that while the international community has a role to play, Africans must lead the resolution of conflicts on the continent due to their deeper understanding of the context and the historical decline of the continent's strategic importance after the Cold War.

APA

Institute for Security Studies (n.d.). Microsoft Word - Agwai Darfur Seminar.doc. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/AGWAIREP.PDF

Chicago

Institute for Security Studies. Microsoft Word - Agwai Darfur Seminar.doc. n.d. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/AGWAIREP.PDF.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Institute for Security Studies |title=Microsoft Word - Agwai Darfur Seminar.doc |url=https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/AGWAIREP.PDF |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{instituteforsecuritystudiesndmicrosoft, author = {{Institute for Security Studies}}, title = {{Microsoft Word - Agwai Darfur Seminar.doc}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, url = {https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/AGWAIREP.PDF}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }