MaximsNewsNetwork: 28 August 2009 - UNAMID: The outgoing Force Commander of the joint UN-African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID), Martin Luther Agwai hands over the reins to Patrick Nyamvumba of Rwanda.
The African Union-United Nations Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) today (24 August) held a farewell parade in honor of its outgoing Force Commander, General Martin Luther Agwai.
The ceremony held at El Fasher stadium marked the end of the Nigerian force commanders service in the mission area leading more than 15,000 UN-AU peacekeepers in the war-torn region of Darfur.
In his speech, General Agwai paid tribute to all officers, soldiers, police and civilian personnel who lost their lives while serving the cause of peace and humanity in Darfur. He highlighted the achievements made so far, including progress made in the areas of deployment of UNAMID forces in Darfur as well as the challenges the mission in Darfur faces such as lack of critical strategic enablers in peacekeeping.
SOUNDBITE (English) General Martin Luther Agwai, Force Commander, African Union- United Nations Mission in Darfur (UNAMID):
"I am leaving as a fulfilled commander, because despite all odds, I am leaving at a time Darfur is experiencing a significant reduction in the level of violence, largely due to the mission contribution in the area of civilian protection, humanitarian intervention, as well as conflict prevention and resolution at local level."
Agwai also stressed that the way forward for UNAMID was to continue developing its operational capabilities, patrol skills in particular, in order to extend UNAMIDs area of influence, citing more challenges ahead.
SOUNDBITE (English) General Martin Luther Agwai, Force Commander, African Union- United Nations Mission in Darfur (UNAMID):
"I believe we have made remarkable progress in this troubled region but we still have much more to do especially with the lack of an all-inclusive comprehensive peace agreement, the general election that are coming and the referendum of 2011."
The outgoing force commander took the opportunity to introduce his successor, General Patrick Nyamvumba of Rwanda, to senior military officials and to the contingent representatives, as well as UN civilian personnel attending the farewell ceremony.
Nyamvumba acknowledged the tasks ahead but vowed he'd march on from where his predecessor had left.
SOUNDITE (English) General Patrick Nyamvumba, Force Commander Designate, African Union-United Nations Mission in Darfur (UNAMID):
"Darfur is a challenging place but the outgoing team has done a wonderful job which we should be able to build upon to propel the force and the mission to the desired end state."
General Martin Luther Agwai was appointed by the Chairperson of African Union and Secretary-General of the United Nations, arriving in Darfur in July 2007 as Force Commander of the African Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS) and the first Force Commander of the AU-UN Hybrid operation in Darfur (UNAMID). During his military career, he also served as Deputy Force Commander of the UN Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) and Adviser in the Department of Peacekeeping Operations at UN Headquarters in New York.
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Inside Story - Darfur conflict: A rebel leader's deathby AlJazeeraEnglish3,771 views
im glad the UN went in to stop the ongoing killings Thank You UN!
MrWeatherman10 9 months ago
@Igikoko they dont wear ceremonial dresses cuz they cant afford it
damimakav 10 months ago
@bashfulfox Well there's only one person here calling him chubby and that's me. He signs up for the army and for those that do it protect their countries, they get my full appreciation. However if your general was fat, what would that say to you as a subordinate? What happens when ur under extreme pressure with half rations? Then your leader comes up to you with a pot belly showing that whilst his men are starving, he doesn't give a shit. A leader should only tell his men what to do if he can do
Lordangers 11 months ago
@laurent8719 The general...
Lordangers 11 months ago
@Lordangers
The men are not fat.
laurent8719 11 months ago
Gen. Nyamvumba is a great military leader and he has more charisma than all the British generals put together. I am amazed how people who never met him in person or had a chance to familiarize themselves with his work in Darfur make negative comments including the ones on his looks. Maybe you should leave your comfortable office/house in a safe country and come over to Darfur to get an idea of what you are talking about.
bashfulfox 1 year ago
The African generals are always fat. Ever see fat British generals or Chinese? No! Tht is true symbol of an African military
Lordangers 1 year ago
You gotta be impressed by the Rwanan soldiers's no-nonsense, focused, operational mindset. They never wear ceremonial dresses. Powerful symbol.
Igikoko 1 year ago
General Agwai stands as the embodiment of a true soldier. His experience and professionalism strongly contributes to his core competence, and his work in peace keeping and military development must be celebrated by all. In a time of economic turmoil and political uncertainty, Agwai certainly can be counted as one of the few figures of hope on the African continent. Nigeria Loves you and we are proud of you sir.
owiz22 1 year ago