African Union agrees to UN takeover of Darfur mission
Mar 10, 2006 (ADDIS ABABA) — The African Union agreed in principle to hand over its cash-strapped peacekeeping mission in Sudan’s wartorn Darfur region to the United Nations, officials said.
“The council decided to support in principle a transition of AMIS (African Union Mission in Sudan) towards a UN mission… in the promotion of peace and security,” said an African Union Peace and Security Council (PSC) statement read by Ethiopian Foreign Minister Seyoum Mesfin.
The PSC reached the decision in a meeting in the Ethiopian capital despite spirited opposition from Sudan, which argued that the transfer would risk worsening the situation in Darfur.
But, in the statement, the PSC “took note of the decision that Sudan is prepared to accept the deployment of a UN mission after and as part of the conclusion of a peace agreement in Abuja.”
UN chief Kofi Annan on Friday welcomed the agreement.
“We are pleased with the decision… and look forward to working with them and the government of Sudan in ensuring that there is effective security on the ground in Darfur,” he told reporters in New York.
Annan said he was encouraged by the fact that Khartoum seems to be “softening its position” and pledged to work with the Sudanese government as well.
“We are pressing ahead with our contingency planning and we hope to be ready to work with the African Union as we move forward to the implementation of the anticipated decision by the (UN) Security Council that we push ahead with the transition,” Annan said.
Khartoum’s soldiers, militias backed by government troops and rebels are embroiled in a conflict which since its outbreak in 2003 has killed up to an estimated 300,000 people and displaced two million more.
The African Union’s council also extended the mandate of the 7,800-strong AU Darfur force until September 30 this year, during which the “international community has the obligation to finance this peacekeeping mission.”
“The PSC decided to extend the mandate of AMIS until the September 2006,” according to a joint communique issued at the end of the Addis Ababa meeting.
Before September 30, “everything should be made to ensure a conclusion of the Abuja peace talks” between the Darfur rebels and the Khartoum government and both sides should work to “improve the humanitarian and security situation on the ground,” the statement added.
“The PSC stressed the need to conclude a peace agreement by end of April 2006,” but called for the formation of a committee of heads of state to engage the Sudanese parties on how to “expedite the conclusion” of the deal, the statement added.
In addition, Sudan and Chad were urged to improve their relations after a string of border clashes, with both countries trading accusations over support for the other’s rebel groups.
The AMIS, which was deployed in 2004, has been hampered by poor funding and inadequate resources, and has been unable to contain the escalating bloodshed in Darfur, a region in western Sudan that is the size of France.
The United States and the European Union have been pressing Sudan to accept UN peacekeepers in Darfur, with US officials Thursday urging the pan-African body to stick to its decision to hand over the peace mission in Darfur.
In January, the AU agreed in principle to hand over the AU Mission in Sudan to the UN, citing financial reasons and was last month outlining details to wind up the mission, whose mandate ends on March 31.
(ST/AFP)