Press release
10 January 2008
Ministry for Foreign Affairs
Norway and Sweden withdraw offer to UN on forces to Darfur
The Norwegian-Swedish offer to provide a joint engineering unit to the UN and African Union's joint peace operation in Darfur (UNAMID) has been withdrawn. The reason for this is Sudan's opposition to the force.
"Norway and Sweden have been preparing support to the UN operation in Darfur for quite some time. We therefore regret that we are forced to withdraw the offer to provide an engineering unit to UNAMID," say Minister for Foreign Affairs Carl Bildt and Minister of Foreign Affairs Jonas Gahr Störe.
The Norwegian-Swedish engineering unit was to help build up necessary infrastructure during an early stage of the operation in Darfur.
"Sudan must assume full responsibility for the situation that has now arisen. Norway and Sweden are now prevented from participating in this absolutely essential operation, which would create better security for the people of war-ravaged Darfur," say the two foreign ministers.
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