By Thalif Deen
UNITED NATIONS, Feb 5 2008 (IPS)

The United Nations, which recently expressed serious concern over the safety of its staff in Algeria and Sudan, is grappling with security issues in two new danger zones: Kenya and Chad.

As a result of the growing violence in both countries, the Secretariat is once again reviewing the safety of its workers – nearly eight weeks after a bombing in Algeria claimed the lives of 17 staff members in mid-December.

"I am alarmed by the deteriorating security situation in N&#39Djamena (the capital of Chad), and elsewhere," Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told reporters Tuesday.

"We can no longer guarantee the safety and security of U.N. staff in Chad, and we have evacuated, with the help of the French government, most of the personnel into neighbouring countries, Cameroon and Gabon," he said.

Ban said a small number of essential U.N. personnel are staying behind in Chad. But they may also be evacuated, with French assistance, if the political and military situation in the country deteriorates.

Over the weekend, a rebel group attacked the capital, threatening to overthrow the government of President Idriss Deby, who has been in power for nearly 17 years.

Speaking of the spreading violence in parts of Africa, he expressed concern over the safety and security of U.N. staff and premises.

"Recent events in Kenya, Chad, Darfur (Sudan) and Algeria serve only to underscore this matter&#39s urgency," he added.

In the coming weeks, he said, he plans to speak to the 192 member states asking them to strengthen the security and safety of U.N. staff in their countries.

Kemal Dervis, head of the U.N. Development Programme (UNDP), whose office was destroyed in the Algiers attack, said last month that in at least six countries, U.N. staff has been told to work at home because some of the agencies in the field have become more "explicit targets" of terrorist groups.

Dervis refused to identify the six countries, but admitted Algeria was one of them.

The threats against U.N. staffers have also been directed at officials and peacekeepers in countries such as Iraq, Somalia, Afghanistan and Lebanon.

On Tuesday, the secretary-general also announced the establishment of an independent panel on "the safety and security of U.N. personnel and premises worldwide".

The panel, which will be chaired by former U.N. special adviser Lakhdar Brahimi, a national of Algeria, will include a number of international experts in the field of safety and security. The names of these experts will be announced shortly.

When the secretary-general announced plans last month to appoint an independent panel, the Algerian government expressed strong reservations, primarily for political reasons.

The Algerian government also denied charges that it ignored a U.N. request for stepped up security measures, including blocking off streets, before the bombing of the U.N. offices in the capital of Algiers.

Brahimi, a former foreign minister of Algeria, was a U.N. special adviser on Afghanistan, Haiti and Iraq – on separate assignments at different times.

Asked if the appointment of Brahimi was meant to appease the Algerian government, Ban said: "I have very closely consulted with the Algerian government. We have thought that Mr. Brahimi would be a very appropriate person to lead this independent panel."

He also said: "I am sure that everybody will agree on his integrity; even though he is an Algerian, he is more known as a cosmopolitan leader."

Ban also said he had discussed the appointment of Brahimi with some key member states, "and I have not received any such concern about his integrity as chair of this independent panel."

On Kenya, the secretary-general said: "As I warned the African Union summit last week, ethnic clashes threaten to escalate out of control."

On Chad, he said: "I urged the Council to act swiftly to help bring this terrible crisis to an end. It has devastating consequences not only for the people of Chad and Darfurian refugees seeking shelter there, but also for Darfur itself."

On Darfur, he said "insecurity continues to severely restrict humanitarian access to civilians in need of assistance."

Asked if Sudan had agreed to non-African troops in the U.N. African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID), he said the peacekeeping force still needs helicopters and additional troops.

"Countries that called for intervention in Darfur are under special obligation to deliver on their promises," he added.

The deployment of the proposed 26,000-strong UNAMID, described as potentially the world&#39s largest single peacekeeping force, has been hampered by lack of troops and military equipment.

The government of Sudan, which is seeking an all-African peacekeeping force, has rejected the deployment of military units from Thailand, Nepal, Norway and Sweden. So far, only 9,000 out of the proposed 26,000 troops have been deployed to Darfur.

Ban said his discussions with Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir last week included the proposed composition of forces. He said one of the "major subjects" he discussed related to the deployment of non-African soldiers.

"Our understanding is that even though it may have to still be worked out at technical levels, we will first try to deploy African peacekeepers who are readily available, for example, Egyptians or Ethiopians."

Then, as this deployment is taking place, he said, "We will try to deploy Thailand and Nepalese soldiers."

Excerpt: