Annan, EU host conference seeking funding for Sudan peacekeepers
July 17, 2006 (BRUSSELS) — U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan will seek Tuesday to coax international donors into providing funds to keep afloat the beleaguered African Union peacekeeping mission in Darfur and persuade the Sudanese government to accept a tougher U.N. force to follow the AU troops.
Annan will co-chair a conference hosted by the European Union that aims to ensure the implementation of a shaky peace deal between the Sudanese government and one of the Darfur’s rebel factions, mobilize funds to keep the African mission going until the end of the year and press the government on the need for a U.N. force to replace the Africans.
“We hope very much that the government in Khartoum will accept that the United Nations can take responsibility for that force,” said EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana. He told reporters the EU would seek to “mobilize all the resources” for Darfur.
The 7,000 AU troops have funding until early September at most, EU spokesman Amadeu Altafaj Tardio said Monday. “Further funds will have to be forthcoming and our hope is that other donors will step into the breach,” he told reporters.
Fighting in Darfur has killed some 200,000 since 2003 and forced another 2 million to flee their homes creating a humanitarian disaster.
The conflict in Sudan’s eastern region began when non-Arab tribes revolted against Sudan’s Arab-led government, which is accused of responding by unleashing Arab militias known as the janjaweed who have been blamed for the worst atrocities.
Khartoum denies involvement and agreed to disarm the janjaweed under the May 5 peace deal. However, the agreement has not halted the violence and the Sudanese government refuses to allow U.N. peacekeepers to replace the over-stretched AU force.
Altafaj Tardio said the EU had provided A329 million (US$413 million) to cover the costs of the AU mission and urged the United States, Canada, Japan, Norway and other donors to dig deeper to keep it going. He declined to say how much was needed.
Following four grafs EMBARGOED for release at 0001 GMT Tuesday.
However, a group of international aid agencies said US$270 million (A215 million) was required to fund the mission up to the end of December.
“The current scenario is a recipe for disaster,” said Barbara Stocking, director of Oxfam Great Britain. “Donor governments must now put their hands in their pockets and fully fund the African Union force.”
Oxfam joined Care International, CAFOD, Christian Aid International, Concern Worldwide, International Rescue Committee, Islamic Relief and Tearfund in a joint appeal to donors.
“This is an international problem, one of the worst humanitarian disasters in the world,” said Haroun Atallah, chief executive of Islamic Relief. “All rich countries must step up their support urgently if the disaster of Darfur isn’t to turn into an even worse catastrophe.”
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The talks will be attended by Sudan’s Foreign Minister Lam Akol, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Jendayi Frazer, and Alessandro Minuto Rizzo, deputy secretary general of NATO which has offered to step up training, transport and logistical support to the African peacekeeping force.
(ST/AP)