AU is ready to send more troops to the Darfur

BRAZZAVILLE, Congo, Sep 4, 2004 (PANA) — Nigerian head of State and current chair of the African Union, Olusegun Obasanjo, on Saturday declared the “willingness” of the continental body to provide more protection forces and observers to the Darfur region “if solicited”.

“The African Union is ready to send more protection troops and
observers to Darfur when requested. We are prepared to do it,”
Obasanjo told reporters upon arrival at Maya Maya international
airport in Brazzaville.

Speaking in the presence of his Congolese counterpart, Denis
Sassou Nguesso, also current chairman of the Economic Community
of Central African States (ECOCAS), Obasanjo cited that the AU
already has 300 Rwandan and Nigerian soldiers and 176 observers
in western Sudan.

“Our mandate as African heads of state is to protect Africans
wherever they are,” he pointed out.

Obasanjo further said while in Brazzaville he will invite
President Sassou Nguesso to join the ongoing Abuja talks on the
Darfur crisis.

Both heads of state and a DR Congo delegation led by foreign
minister Ramazani Baya went into closed door discussions on
African issues.

Asked about the results of the inquiry in the massacre of 150
Congolese of Rwandan origin at the Gatumba transit camp in
Burundi, Obasanjo just said, “the international community and the
AU have already identified the culprits”.

However, a diplomat from Congo-Brazzaville speaking under
anonymity, regretted the absence the of Burundese representative.

“Burundi, as DR Congo just did, should take advantage of the AU
President Obasanjo’s presence to send a delegation to the talks
still underway in Brazzaville,” the diplomat told PANA.