Obasanjo content with Darfur prgress after meeting Sudan president

ABUJA, Feb 16 (AFP) — The chairman of the African Union, President Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria, said Wednesday that he had been convinced by his Sudanese counterpart Omar al-Bashir that the situation in the war-torn western Sudanese province of Darfur was improving.

“Things are looking greatly better in Darfur,” Obasanjo said, after talks at Abuja airport with Bashir.

Obasanjo said he hoped that after talking with Bashir that African Union-sponsored peace talks, which are due to return to Nigeria before the end of the month, would bear fruit.

Bashir also expressed hopes that the upcoming talks, which he said ought to restart in Abuja before the end of this month, would reach a settlement.

The Sudanese leader met Obasanjo for brief talks at Abuja airport after attending an inconclusive summit on Darfur with fellow African leaders in the Chadian capital Ndjamena. He flew home after meeting the Nigerian leader.

Sudan’s western Darfur region has been in the grip of fighting between rebel and government forces for the past two years and tens of thousands of civilians are estimated to have been killed by hunger, disease and militia attacks.

The AU has attempted to broker a peace deal but has made little concrete progress amid rising international pressure from outside the continent for United Nations sanctions and even foreign intervention.

Obasanjo has made it clear that he hopes that Africa can resolve the crisis without outside intervention.