Cambodian troops arrive to bolster UN force in Chad, Central African Republic

MINURCAT peacekeeper with Sudanese children from the Oure Cassoni refugee camp in Bahaï, Eastern Chad

19 November 2009 – The United Nations mission set up to protect civilians and facilitate humanitarian aid in Chad and Central African Republic (CAR) received a boost this week with the arrival of troops from Cambodia.

The 42 Cambodian soldiers will be assisting in the movement of UN personnel and logistic assets in eastern Chad, where humanitarian agencies are providing aid to some 250,000 refugees from neighbouring Sudan’s strife-torn Darfur region, as well as 160,000 displaced Chadians.

Northern CAR has also been affected by a spill-over from Darfur as well as by displacement from other armed groups.

In 2007, the Security Council established the mission, known as MINURCAT, which currently stands at only 53 per cent of its authorized strength, or 2,750 troops, due to difficulties faced by some contributing countries in acquiring and transporting equipment.

Last month Assistant Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Edmund Mulet told the Council that the UN is doing everything possible to expedite the deployment of all pledged contingents.