By Xinhua
Khartoum : A United Nations-African Union (AU) hybrid force is to take over the peacekeeping mission in the conflict-torn western Sudanese region of Darfur from the AU mission Monday, the UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) announced Saturday.
Headed by UN-AU Joint Special Representative for Darfur Rodolphe Adada, the hybrid mission is mandated to protect civilians, facilitate humanitarian assistance and help provide a secure environment in which peace can take root.
The transfer of the peacekeeping mission will comprise a signing ceremony between both parties in the presence of a representative of the Sudanese government.
On July 31, the UN Security Council adopted Resolution 1769, authorizing the deployment of the hybrid force including some 20,000 troops and more than 6,000 police and civilian staff to replace the underfunded AMIS.