Annan confirms withdrawal of Jordanian troops from UN Sierra Leone mission
25 October -- Secretary-General Kofi Annan today confirmed that Jordan intended to withdraw its forces from the United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL).
Responding to questions at a press conference today, Mr. Annan said that Jordan had hoped that more developed countries could have joined its forces in the peacekeeping operation.
The Secretary-General said Jordan's decision raised "a very serious question." "Can the Council adopt resolutions that require us to deploy troops and those in the Council do nothing, particularly those major-league countries with large forces?" he asked. "Is the question posed by Jordan going to be posed in future operations?"
Mr. Annan said it would take time to replace the outgoing troops in Sierra Leone and added that the UN would seek Jordan's flexibility in the withdrawal time frame.
The Secretary-General also signalled his intention to appoint a new Force Commander in the next few days who would be able to "lead the men in the field and mould them into a cohesive, active force."
According to the Secretary-General's latest report on UNAMSIL, Jordan was contributing a total of 1,830 personnel to the Mission, including 1,768 troops, as of the end of August, when UNAMSIL's strength stood at 12,443.
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