Konare names AU special representative in Sudan

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, Nov 11, 2004 (PANA) — African Union (AU) Commission Chairperson Alpha Oumar Konare has appointed Ambassador Baba Gana Kingibe as his special representative in Sudan, it was officially announced here Thursday.

The appointment follows a decision of the AU Peace and Security Council on 20 October 2004 to strengthen the African Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS), said a statement issued by the Commission.

Ambassador Kingibe who becomes the head of AMIS, also retains his current responsibility as the AU Special Envoy to the Sudan Peace Talks in Naivasha, Kenya.

AMIS is charged to monitor and observe compliance with the
Humanitarian Ceasefire Agreement on the Darfur conflict.

Under the 8 April 2004 agreement, parties involved in the
conflict committed themselves to cease hostilities and facilitate the delivery of humanitarian assistance to the internally displaced people and other victims of the war in the western Sudan region.

The AU Commission said AMIS would assist in the process of
confidence building and contribute to a secure environment for the deployment of humanitarian relief.

AMIS will comprise 3,320 personnel, including 2,341 troops, among them 450 observers and up to 815 civilian police personnel.

Born on 25 June 1945 at Maiduguri, Borno State in Nigeria,
Kingibe has been a career diplomat. Between 1993 and 1998, he
served his country as Foreign Minister, Internal Affairs Minister and Minister of Power and Steel.

In the course of his career, Kingibe also took part in mediating crises in African countries including Chad and Liberia.