Sudan agrees to withdraw its candidacy for Africa’s chairmanship

Jan 23, 2006 (KHARTOUM) — Sudan agreed Monday to withdraw its candidacy for the chairmanship of African Union (AU) following protests by human rights groups and several African leaders.

An African diplomatic source told KUNA tonight that African leaders approved Sudan to be chairman of the coming AU session when a peace agreement in Darfur is reached.

Critics had warned that the continuing conflict in the western Sudan region of Darfur made it impossible for Sudan to hold the AU’s presidency.

The AU is acting as a mediator between the two sides of the conflict and has a peacekeeping force in the region.

Sudan has nominated itself to chair the 53-member AU, based on a tradition that the host of its summit becomes the organization’s next leader.

The AU’s rotating presidency is currently held by Nigeria.

The debate over Sudan’s chairing the AU overshadowed the summit of African leaders, who had gathered in the Sudanese capital Khartoum Monday under the theme “Education and Culture”.

In the meantime, Seyom Mesfin, Ethiopian Foreign Minister urged for backing the AU troops operating the in war-torn Darfur region, in an attempt to maintain stability in the region.

(ST/KUNA)