To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations the UK has made to its international partners on communicating and raising public awareness of the mandate for the UNAMID police component in Darfur; and if he will make a statement. (183315)

We have not made representations about the mandate for the police component of the UN-African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID). Along with our international partners, we have been drawing attention to the need for all parties to facilitate UN AMID’s deployment as an effective force, including the police component.

At full strength, the civilian police component of UNAMID will be just under 6,500 officers. At present, there are about 1,400 civilian police in UNAMID who transferred from the police component of the African Union Mission in Sudan.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the co-ordination of civilian protection in Darfur since UNMIS withdrew from the region; and if he will make a statement. (183316)

We have not yet assessed the effectiveness of the co-ordination of civilian protection in Darfur, as many of the relevant structures and personnel continue to be put in place following the assumption of peacekeeping authority by the UN-African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) on 31 December 2007. UNAMID is working with other UN agencies and non-governmental humanitarian organisations to co-ordinate civilian protection in Darfur. Those organisations working with the UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) in Darfur before 31 December 2007 are transferring contact to UNAMID. Some former UNMIS officials have moved to UNAMID, which will include a civilian element of approximately 5,000 staff when fully established. We are closely monitoring the transition period to ensure effective co-ordination of civilian protection in the region.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress is being made towards the designation of an agency to replace UNMIS as leading the co-ordination of civilian protection in Darfur; and if he will make a statement. (183366)

The UN-African Union hybrid peacekeeping mission in Darfur, which assumed authority in Darfur on 31 December 2007, is mandated by UN Security Council resolution 1769 to protect civilians and ensure the security and freedom of movement of humanitarian workers. The UN-African Union Mission in Darfur is working with other UN agencies and non-governmental humanitarian organisations to co-ordinate civilian protection in Darfur. Operations led by the UN Mission in Sudan in Darfur, prior to 31 December, are transferring to UN-African Union Mission in Darfur, which will include a civilian element of approximately 5,000 staff when fully established. We are closely monitoring the transition period to ensure effective co-ordination of civilian protection in the region.