Nigerian Obasanjo, AU top mediator discuss Darfur peace process

Mar 23, 2006 (ABUJA) — The AU Special Envoy and Chief Mediator for the Darfur Peace Talks in Abuja, Salim Ahmed Salim, held last night 22 March 2006, talks with Nigerian president Olusegun Obasanjo on the peace process.

During the meeting, the Chief Mediator, who was accompanied by the Head of the AU Mediation Team Sam Ibok, briefed Obasanjo on the current status of the talks, with particular reference to the aspects dealing with security and the enhancement of the Humanitarian Ceasefire Agreement, as well as Power and Wealth Sharing issues that are still outstanding, the AU spokesperson Nourredine Mezni said.

The meeting took place against the backdrop of the 46th meeting of the AU Peace and Security Council held on 10 March 2006, to discuss the conflict in Darfur and AU’s response, both on the ground where AU forces are currently deployed and in Abuja, where the AU is leading the peace process.

President Obasanjo again reassured Salim of his continued engagement with the process and his preparedness to assist the Sudanese parties in everyway possible to reach an early Agreement.

He underscored the fact that the African leaders are determined to bring the conflict in Darfur to an end sooner rather than later, in order to save lives and to ensure that people of Darfur can rebuild their lives by focusing on reconstruction or reconciliation in their homeland.

The last meeting of the Steering Committee for the Talks, that brought together the leaders of all the Sudanese negotiators, appealed for the continuing engagement of AU leaders in general and president Obasanjo in particular, to move the Parties towards a speedy political settlement of the conflict in Darfur.

(ST)