UN refutes Sudanese air carriers' claim

On 29 and 30 October 2008, Sudanese media published statements made by the Deputy Secretary General of the National Air Companies Chamber, Omar Ali Abdul Majid, and the Head of the Chamber of Pilots, Seif El Dine Hassan, accusing the UN of trespassing the rights of the Sudanese national air carriers by using foreign airlines to transport peacekeeping troops to Darfur.

In his statement, Majid said, “The UN is ignoring national air companies by chartering and contracting other companies under the umbrella of the UN to transport these troops,” and then apparently suggested that this policy seriously impacts the air industry in Sudan… causing financial losses suffered by Sudanese companies, which reached US$1bn since the eruption of Darfur crisis. He also disclosed that the Chamber had contacted the parties concerned requesting them to “end contracting with foreign companies, confining that to national companies only.”

Hassan, in turn, accused the UN of “exploiting its status as an international body by assigning air cargo concessions to foreign companies,” and claimed that “national air companies are deliberately ignored.”

In reacting to the claims, UNAMID rejected the allegations that it discriminates against national air companies. It also pointed out that it does not deal with such matters locally. Contracts for air assets, support and related activities are handled by UN Headquarters in New York through transparent, competitive bidding.

The mission also pointed out that the countries contributing the troops actually selected the carrier in each case - often their national carrier or a third party.

UNAMID says it has always given and continues to provide opportunities to Sudanese companies to compete with other bidders for the services and goods it needs for its operations, and it also recruits national staff members, mostly from Darfur, to serve with the Mission, curbing unemployment among young people.

Source: United Nations