Disquiet at possible Sudan chair of African Union
Jan 12, 2006 (NAIROBI) — As if Africa did not have enough of an image problem, it now faces the prospect of one of its most vilified governments leading the body intended to guarantee peace and democracy across the continent.
Having already notched a diplomatic coup to host the upcoming Jan. 23-24 African Union (AU) summit, Sudan would earn further prestige if it assumes the next rotating chairmanship of the 53-nation body as normal protocol dictates.
President Omar Hassan al-Bashir’s government could do with that to offset widespread foreign opprobrium over conflicts within and beyond its borders, particularly the war in Sudan’s western Darfur region.
But the prospect of a Sudan AU chairmanship horrifies its many critics who see it as one of the worst possible ambassadors for Africa and fear it could sink the Darfur peace process.
They hope the continent’s big diplomatic players — like South Africa and Nigeria — find a more suitable candidate.
“If Sudan takes the AU leadership, it wins credibility, but to the detriment of the African Union,” Nairobi-based Sudan expert David Mozersky told Reuters. “The Sudan government has been one of the worst perpetrators of human rights abuses on the African continent for the last two years.”
Neighbouring Chad — which accuses Sudan of backing rebels seeking to overthrow President Idriss Deby — is the only African nation openly campaigning against Khartoum.
“An aggressive neighbour like Sudan is not capable of hosting the next AU summit, not to mention being the next chairman,” said Deby, who wants current AU chairman and Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo to stay on.
Deby plans to boycott the meeting though an envoy from Chad would attend “if we cannot have the summit cancelled” and “unless we break off relations”, Communications Minister Hourmadji Moussa Doumgor told Reuters.
Further stirring controversy, rebels fighting the Khartoum government in Darfur have threatened to pull out of AU-sponsored peace talks in Nigeria if Bashir takes over.
Rights groups are also outraged at the prospect.
“REWARDING CRIMINALS”
Khartoum is accused of backing militia known as “Janjaweed” in a campaign of rape, killing and marauding against Darfur civilians that Washington has termed “genocide.”
“The African Union should not reward the sponsors of crimes against humanity,” said Peter Takirambudde, Africa director of U.S.-based Human Rights Watch.
“How can the African Union be seen as a credible mediator in Darfur if one of the warring parties hosts its summit and becomes the head of the organisation as well?~
The AU has a 7,000-strong mission monitoring a shaky ceasefire in Darfur, so a Sudan chairmanship of the pan-African body would put the government in a bizarre situation.
“It would be awkward, pretty much unprecedented,” said UK-based analyst Patrick Smith, of Africa Confidential newsletter. “He (Bashir) would want to keep the mission watered down and small, so he would be going head-to-head with (AU commission head Alpha Oumar) Konare who wants to beef it up.”
Diplomats say there is considerable disquiet around sub-Saharan Africa at the thought of a Sudan-led AU — with some countries talking among themselves about alternatives — though there is a bloc of support for Sudan in Muslim north Africa.
Regional power-house South Africa and current chairman Nigeria do not, however, want to be perceived as “big-footing” the rest. And while rumours abound in the run-up to the summit, no consensus over another candidate has yet emerged, they add.
“It is going to be difficult for the AU heads of state and government not to allow Sudan to chair,” said Prince Mashele, of the Institute for Security Studies in Pretoria. “African leaders are diplomatic in dealing with sensitive issues and will not raise Sudan’s rights or governance issues publicly.”
One of the problems is lack of clarity on AU rules. The host usually becomes chairman, but that is not cast in stone.
“The appropriate thing would be for the AU to draw up criteria for the chairship, which is supposed to be an example of what the AU is all about especially at a time when Africa is trying to find its space on the global stage and show it is not business as usual,” said Siphamandla Zondi, Africa director at Johannesburg think-tank Institute for Global Dialogue.
Sudan itself, which denies sponsoring violence in Darfur and says last year’s historic north-south peace accord demonstrate its credentials, is keeping a low profile on the issue.
That way, analysts said, it also minimises the negative impact if it is overlooked for the AU chair despite being host.
“We are going to leave it to the presidents to decide if they will give us this opportunity,” Foreign Ministry under-secretary Mutrif Siddig told Reuters.
Chad’s neighbours recognise the awkwardness of a Sudan chairmanship but are avoiding a hardline public stance.
“Chad’s opposition (to Sudan hosting the AU summit) is a non-starter — it’s not right to be dictating to the other states,” said Benin’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Cosme Arouna, summing up the mood.
But he added: “As long as the Darfur problem is not completely resolved, Sudan does not seem to me to be well placed to preside over the destiny of the AU.”