26/05/2005

African Union seeks $460m for Darfur force

The African Union (AU) is seeking $460 million to more than triple its peacekeeping force in Sudan’s Darfur region, a senior AU official said yesterday.

The 53-member pan-African body plans to make the request at a donor pledging conference in Sudan today.

The AU has deployed about 2,300 troops to monitor a shaky ceasefire in Darfur in Sudan’s west, with international financial backing to pay for the mission.

Its role policing the civil war that has already cost 180,000 lives through violence, hunger and disease is seen as a major test of the African body’s peacekeeping abilities.

Chairman of the AU’s Peace and Security Council, Djinnit, said the AU may also consider bringing the force up to 12,000by September, which would cost an additional $240 million. The decision will not be made until 3rd July.

Djinnit said: “We are confident of that there is a great enthusiasm among our international partners to support the AU Mission in Darfur both financially and logistically. We are confident deploying more troops by July as long as their accommodation is prepared and an airlift is provided on time.”

The additional troops were expected to be shipped out by late September.

(CD/SP)

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