Bush to meet with Nigeria’s Olusegun Obasanjo December 2

CRAWFORD, United States, Nov 24 (AFP) — US President George W. Bush will meet at the White House December 2 with his Nigerian counterpart Olusegun Obasanjo, (photo) with the crisis in Darfur at the top of their agenda, the White House said in a statement.

Obasanjo currently serves as chairman of the African Union.

“The two leaders will discuss the situation in Darfur, Sudan and Cote d’Ivoire,” the White House said in a statement from Crawford, Texas, where the president is enjoying a pre-Thanksgiving Day holiday.

“They will also review US-Nigerian bilateral relations, including economic cooperation, expanded trade and investment opportunities, as well as the role of the African Union in regional defense and security issues,” the statement added.

Fighting broke out in Darfur in February 2003, when rebels launched an insurrection to protest what they allege is the political and economic marginalization of black Africans by the Arab-led government.

Khartoum’s response was to unleash the Arab Janjaweed militia, who have been blamed by Western officials and aid workers for killings, rape and widespread human rights violations.

Since then, more than 70,000 people have been killed or have died from hunger and disease in the area, according to the United Nations, and another 1.5 million have been displaced.