Sudan denied AU chair but still obstructing action on Darfur

Jan 31, 2007 (WASHINGTON) – Africa Action welcomed
this week’s decision by the African Union (AU) to deny the position of
Chair of that continent-wide body to the Sudanese government, choosing
instead to confirm the Ghanaian President as AU Chair for the coming
year. But Africa Action warned that Khartoum continues to obstruct the
international response to the growing crisis in Darfur, and that its
ongoing attacks against civilians and its opposition to a United Nations
(UN) peacekeeping force cannot be tolerated.

Nii Akuetteh, Executive Director of Africa Action, said today, “The AU’s
decision to deny the position of Chair to Sudan shows the depth of
concern within that body about Khartoum’s role in the ongoing crisis in
Darfur. This powerful political statement must now be followed by new
action from the international community to reinforce the AU’s mission in
Darfur with a UN peacekeeping force that can stop the violence and
protect civilians.”

Amid a renewed focus on the need for a political process to resolve the
crisis in Darfur, Africa Action today underscored the immediate need for
a robust UN peacekeeping force that can protect civilians and
humanitarian operations in Darfur, and that can establish stable
conditions conducive to successful political negotiations.

Despite recent diplomatic initiatives from the U.S. and from UN
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, however, Africa Action emphasized that no
progress has been made in overcoming Sudan’s opposition to a UN
peacekeeping mission for Darfur. As the need for such a force grows with
the escalating violence on the ground, Africa Action decried the failure
of the international community to break the deadlock on the
implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1706, passed last
August, authorizing a UN peacekeeping mission for Darfur.

Ann-Louise Colgan, Director of Policy Analysis & Communications at
Africa Action, said today, “The U.S. and other members of the Security
Council must step up their efforts to deploy a UN force to Darfur. There
is an urgent need for new diplomatic engagement from Sudan’s allies,
especially China, to leverage Khartoum’s cooperation. There is also a
range of punitive measures that must be considered by the Security
Council to sanction Sudan for its role in the ongoing genocide and to
press Khartoum to allow a UN peacekeeping force into Darfur.”

Marie Clarke Brill, Director of Public Education & Mobilization at
Africa Action, said today, “Darfur remains a top foreign policy concern
for millions of Americans, who continue to urge greater U.S. engagement
to stop the genocide. Last week’s mention of Darfur by President Bush in
his State of the Union address was roundly rejected as insufficient and
was no substitute for a real U.S. strategy to protect the people of
Darfur. The situation is getting worse, and the U.S. must mount a new
and urgent effort to achieve a UN peacekeeping force to protect
civilians in the region now.”

Africa Action’s report “Leveraging New International Action on Darfur”
lays out next steps for the international community on this crisis, and
looks at how the U.S., China and other powers can use their influence to
persuade Khartoum to allow the necessary peacekeeping force into Darfur.

This report is available at:
http://www.africaaction.org/resources/page.php?op=read&documentid=2235&type=6&issues=1024