Newsletter No. 876
News-Analysis
January 14, 2008

 

The following newsletter has been contributed by Tomio J. Toyama (Shingetsu Member No. 114). Toyama is affiliated with the US Army.

PEACEKEEPING CHALLENGES IN SUDAN RAISE QUESTIONS FOR TOKYO

The New Year promised to bring greater stability and security to war-torn Sudan. It started well enough with the initial deployment of the UN-AU Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) and hopes (but few expectations) that this hybrid force would be able to pacify tensions between the government and rebel groups -- and more importantly ensure the protection of defenseless civilians in the western province of Darfur.

However, even UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon acknowledges that the deployment is seriously lacking in personnel and equipment. He has strongly urged the full deployment of 26,000 personnel. Currently, there are only about 9,000 UN troops operating in Sudan. Additionally, one of the first missions of the UNAMID force has already been ambushed by Sudanese troops, sparking an international outcry from the UN and the UNAMID participants. Furthermore, the security situation remains dangerous for foreigners, as was fully evident in the murder of John Granville, a 33-year old USAID official, in Khartoum on New Year's Day.

So, where does Japan fall into this picture?

Japan's first moves regarding UNAMID participation have been unhelpful with the denial of logistical support for Burundian and Tanzanian peacekeepers. Helicopter transportation support is precisely what UNAMID is missing, according to Jean-Marie Guehenno, the UN peacekeeping chief.

Despite this, there have also been reports that Japan might send SDF troops for training missions in Africa. With fears of violence in Sudan between UNAMID, Sudan, and rebel forces, this may be Japan's best outlet for offering “military” support to the mission.

In addition to government officials' hints about this mission, MOFA released a timely statement urging progress in the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) on its third year anniversary on January 9th. The announcement also mentioned Japan's US$200 million contribution to Sudan and the upcoming Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD IV) in May to be held in Yokohama. It is unclear at this time if Sudan will actually be participating in the conference, in which hitherto only 34 of Africa's 53 countries have actually promised to send delegations.

The Chinese Approach

While most of the world has in some form divested from Sudan over the horrendous humanitarian situation, China remains adamant in its support of the Sudanese government and in its role, at the current juncture, as the largest importer of Sudanese oil. In a recent interview, Liu Guijin, China’s special envoy to Sudan, declared that, “The heart of the problem in Darfur is a lack of development... Desertification has spread quickly, and this makes the people in the area fight over the limited resources, leading to conflict and bloodshed.”

China has been attempting to push the Sudan issue away from its upcoming Olympics, which has been coming under attack from various organizations, as well as Hollywood actors and actresses. Notwithstanding these critiques, China has actually been the first and largest country to contribute to the UNAMID force from outside of Africa.

Overall, such an aggressive Chinese economically-determined approach throughout Africa seems to be garnering a better turnout to events such as the Beijing African Conference than Japan may be able to muster for TICAD IV. This is a point about which some Japanese foreign ministry officials are keenly sensitive.

References

Chang, Anita, “China Defends Economic Ties to Sudan, Says Development is Key to Achieving Darfur Peace,” Associated Press, January 10, 2008.

Daily Yomiuri, “Government Wary Over TICAD Attendance,” Daily Yomiuri, January 4, 2008.

Kyodo News, “SDF May Go to Africa as Instructors,” Kyodo News, January 11, 2008.

Lynch, Colum, “Attack Seen as a Setback for the UN in Darfur: Incident Points to Peacekeepers' Lack of Resources, Critics Say,” Washington Post, January 13, 2008.

Mainichi Shinbun, “Editorial: Future of ODA -- Secure the Budget to Ensure International Contribution,” Mainichi Shinbun, December 28, 2007.

MOFA Press Release, “Statement by Press Secretary/Director-General for Press and Public Relations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on the Implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) in Sudan,” MOFA Website, January 9, 2008.

UN News Service, “New UN Darfur Force Must Reach Full Deployment as Soon as Possible, Says Ban,” UN News Service, January 7, 2008.