AU to hold mini-summit on Darfur next week in Libya

Dec 29, 2005 (KHARTOUM) — The African Union is to hold a mini-summit on the crisis in Sudan’s western region of Darfur on January 4, the official SUNA news agency reported Thursday.

The summit is to be attended by the heads of state of five countries: Sudan’s Omar al-Beshir, Libya’s Moamer Kadhafi, Nigeria’s Olusegun Obasanjo, Chad’s Idriss Deby and the Central African Republic’s Francois Bozize.

The news agency quoted AU special representative Baba Gana Kingibe as saying the summit was aimed at speeding up the Darfur peace negotiations after the latest rounds in Abuja failed to produce a breakthrough.

US and other officials had said earlier this year they hoped a solution to the conflict would be reached before the end of 2005.

The five leaders are also expected to discuss escalating tensions between Sudan and Chad, which has accused Khartoum of supporting army deserters in its eastern border region and attacking positions on its territory.

The Chadian president’s Zaghawa ethnic group straddles the border between the two countries and is prominent among both the Chadian army mutineers and the Darfur rebels.

The mini-summit will come three weeks before the African Union holds its annual summit involving all 53 members in Khartoum.

Deby charged Tuesday after formally complaining to AU chairman Obasanjo that Sudan “does not deserve” to host the summit.

(AFP/ST)