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UN's
Ladsous
Solicits
Drones for
Mali, UN Says
CAR Approval
Needed
By
Matthew
Russell Lee
UNITED
NATIONS, May
14 -- When UN
Peacekeeping
chief Herve
Ladsous pushed
through his
proposal to
use drones or
“unmanned
unarmed aerial
vehicles” in
Eastern Congo,
he said that
it was a pilot
and that
any further
use would
require
another
approval.
But
on May 5,
Inner City
Press asked UN
deputy
spokesperson
Farhan Haq
about Ladsous
pitching
drones in the
Central
African
Republic --
and
now Inner City
Press reports
that Mali has
arisen as well,
and "any [UN]
peacekeeping
mission."
From
the UN's
May 5
transcript:
Inner
City Press:
while
Under-Secretary-General
Ladsous was in
Bangui, he
gave a press
conference and
he discussed
the use of
unmanned/unarmed
aerial
vehicles or
drones in the
CAR ( Central
African
Republic). So,
I wanted to
know, is it
the UN’s
position that
the current
MINUSCA
(United
Nations
Multidimensional
Integrated
Stabilization
Mission in the
Central
African
Republic)
resolution
would permit
use
of drones or
is this
something that
they would
have to come
back to
the Security
Council or
some other
organ of the
United Nations
to get
approval for?
Deputy
Spokesman Haq:
I believe that
the current
resolution
does not
mention
unmanned
aerial
vehicle, so
any further
deployment of
that
would require
the Security
Council
consideration
as far as I’m
aware.
But
the UN at
Ladsous'
direction has
been soliciting
expressions of
interest,
until today,
for drones or
UAVs initially
for use in
northern Mali,
where Ladsous'
native France
has an
UNdisclosed
letter of
assist
under which
other UN
member states
will be paying
it for
airfield
services.
(Outgoing
French
Ambassador
Gerard Araud
in December,
his
last Council
presidency,
refused to
substantively
answer Inner
City
Press' questions
about the
letter of
assist,
and now
doesn't answer
Press
questions at
all.)
The
question is,
if as stated
on May 5 any
UN use of
drones or UAV
outside of the
Congo requires
another
approval, why
is Ladsous
soliciting
drones for
Mali?
In fact, the solicitation
which we put
online here
says "While
the initial
deployment of
UAS is
expected to be
based in a
particular UN
Mission future
deployment
could be in any
peacekeeping
mission"
--
UN/PD
is seeking
Expressions of
Interest (EOI)
for the
provision of
Unmanned
Aerial System
(UAS) with
multiple
Unmanned
Aerial
Vehicles
(UAVs) in
support of
peace-keeping
operations in
Mali with the
basing
of one system
at Timbuktu
and Gao.
The
UAS provider
will be an
independent
contractor who
remains in
control
of the system
and aircraft
and shall be
responsible
for operation
and
maintenance of
the aircraft.
The flight
operating crew
and all
maintenance
personnel
shall at all
times remain
the servant or
agent
of the
contractor.
All staff and
equipment
necessary for
the
operation of
the aircraft
are expected
to be
self-sufficient
for all
technical and
subsistence
requirements,
although in
some
locations,
accommodation
and meals may
be provided
within UN
compound for
security of
personnel or
lack of
alternative.
The staff of
the
independent
contractor
will operate
closely with
UN aviation
and
military
personnel and
interact with
the host
nation as and
when
required. The
contractor
must provide
staff to
track,
control,
monitor the
UAS and
provide
analysis of
data received,
working
closely with
Mission
contacts.
While the
initial
deployment of
UAS is
expected to be
based in a
particular UN
Mission future
deployment
could be in
any
peacekeeping
mission.
It
is expected
that contracts
will be for a
period of 3
years,
extendable at
the option of
the UN to 4
and 5 years,
and will
generally
apply to a
single mission
area. UAV
capability
should
provide long
endurance and
be able to fly
long range to
a point of
interest,
loiter on
patrol and
return to
base.
Herve "the
Drone" Ladsous
- we will pursue.
Watch this
site.
* * *
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