UN-AU mission meets Chad’s Deby over Darfur

June 16, 2006 (N’DJAMENA) — A joint United Nations and African Union delegation met Chadian President Idriss Deby Itno to discuss the possible deployment of UN troops in Sudan’s war-ravaged western Darfur region, official sources said.

“The aim of our mission is to see how to strengthen the African Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS) in Darfur and also how to prepare a transition to a UN mission,” the UN under secretary general for peace-keeping operations Jean-Marie Guehenno told reporters in N’Djamena.

Chad borders Darfur, where a civil war has since 2003 taken up to 300,000 lives and displaced some two million people.

“A transition from the African Union to the UN, that is a decision that will result from an agreement between the Sudanese government, the African Union and the United Nations,” Guehenno said.

“Everyone has to see things in the same way.”

The AU has had a force in Darfur since 2004, but its troops are poorly-equipped and ill-financed. AMIS would like to hand over responsibility to the UN by the start of next year.

Sudan initially opposed the idea but says it is now ready to consider the suggestion.

The mission has already been to Darfur and Khartoum.

Guehenno said he had emphasized to Deby the need for an improvement in Chad’s relations with Sudan, which he called “very important for peace in the region”.

Chad broke off diplomatic relations with Sudan on April 14, claiming Khartoum had backed an abortive attack on N’Djamena by rebels.

(ST)