The United Nations today expressed its deep concern over a helicopter pilot who has been missing for two days in the south of Sudan's war-torn Darfur region.

In response to an opinion article entitled "A united Sudan is better for Africa (DN, July 23), the writer is referred to as a diplomat at the Sudanese Embassy in Nairobi. Given his occupation, one would not expect much objectivity from him in the treatment of the subject.

The United Nations today expressed its deep concern over a helicopter pilot who has been missing for two days in the south of Sudan's war-torn Darfur region.

A UNAMID-backed library containing over 500 legal references was today inaugurated at the State Prosecutor's Office in El Fasher, North Darfur. Attending the ceremony were state representatives and members of the humanitarian community.

Yesterday, in El Geneina, West Darfur, UNAMID observed the signing of a peace agreement between representatives of Sudan Liberation Army-FREES (SLA-FREES) and the Justice and Reform Movement (JRM), splinter groups of SLA-Abdul Wahid and the Justice and Equality Movement respectively.

Even genocide charges may not bring President Omar Hassan al-Bashir closer to trial at The Hague any time soon, but they may further complicate his international dealings and travels.

Obama must enforce the agreement the United States helped broker in 2005.

The peace process in Darfur has reached a critical point, with the security situation deteriorating just as prospects for a negotiated settlement have slightly improved, UNAMID chief Ibrahim Gambari told the Security Council as he urged all parties to the conflict to step up their efforts to reach a deal.

Two aid workers from the German government's disaster relief organization, Technisches Hilfswerk (THW), have been released after 35 days in captivity. They were picked up safely today near Kabkabiya, North Darfur, by a UNAMID helicopter and taken to Nyala, South Darfur. Both are reportedly in good health.

The peace process in Darfur has reached a critical point, with the security situation deteriorating just as prospects for a negotiated settlement have slightly improved, a senior United Nations official told the Security Council as he urged all parties to the conflict to step up their efforts to reach a deal.

Heavy rain in southern Sudan's Jonglei state has caused floods that have killed two people and destroyed more than 130 homes during the past 10 days, a United Nations agency has reported, saying that those affected are in need of shelter material, food and drinking water.

The UN-African Union peacekeeping force in Darfur denied on Tuesday official claims in Moscow that a Russian helicopter had been seized by rebels. Kemal Saiki, spokesman of the United Nations-African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID), said "recent reports of a helicopter captured by rebels or by any other armed movement are erroneous."

Presidential and parliamentary elections in Sudan in April marked an important milestone in the implementation of the peace agreement that ended civil war in the country despite operational challenges, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says in a new report, urging both parties to the deal to continue their efforts to expand the democratic process.

The government of Southern Sudan (GoSS) has promised to help Ugandan traders recover their money that was lost to various Sudanese for failure to honour their trade contractual obligations.

The African Union (AU) is divided on whether to arrest Sudanese president Omar al-Bashir over war crimes, according to diplomats at the AU summit in Kampala.

He also asked Ugandans to develop networks with Sudan as a government and also establish agencies that will be handy when the country’s huge market eventually opens up and its oil resources give way to exploitation.

Leaders in Ardamata IDP camp, near El Geneina, West Darfur, have approached UNAMID with reports that a number of residents who left the camps to cultivate crops on their lands were harassed by armed men.

Sporadic shooting was heard around midnight yesterday at Kalma Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp, in South Darfur. According to UNAMID police, gunmen identifying themselves as members of the Sudan Liberation Army-Abdul Wahid faction (SLA-AW) began shooting indiscriminately from about 0020 hours until 0130 hours.

A meeting of the High Level Committee was held on 19 July, co-chaired by the Federal Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and the United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan. The Committee is a vital forum for discussion and coordination between the Sudanese Government and the international community in the Sudan to enable the effective delivery of humanitarian populations in Darfur.

A major training aimed at 20 judges from North Darfur State began on 21 July. The UNAMID organized event, entitled "Capacity development for justice and sustainable peace," is scheduled to run for five days.