Security Council members arrive in Nairobi ahead of session on Sudan conflicts

Members of the United Nations Security Council arrived today in Nairobi ahead of a two-day meeting devoted to the civil conflicts engulfing Sudan, including the crisis in the western region of Darfur and the long-running war in the country's south.

UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan is travelling to the Kenyan capital and is scheduled to address the session tomorrow. His Special Representative for Sudan, Jan Pronk, will also participate in the meeting, just the fourth time in its history that the Council has convened away from UN Headquarters in New York.

Council members voiced their deep concern over the findings of the Secretary-General's latest report on the situation in Africa's largest country, as well as the deteriorating security and humanitarian situation.

In addressing these issues, they have reiterated their support for the leadership of the Africa Union in the Darfur crisis, welcomed the Union's decision to enlarge its mission there, and urged all parties in the conflict to cooperate with the AU to ensue a secure and stable environment.

Meanwhile, the UN Advance Mission in Sudan (UNAMIS) said internally displaced persons (IDPs) reported that police units started firing indiscriminately over the weekend at Kalma camp in South Darfur. The residents speculate the shooting took place as a warning following the visit earlier in the day on Saturday of a panel looking into the occurrence of genocide in the region.

According to the Government, rebels within the camp fired on Sudanese police positions, forcing an exchange of gunfire, UNAMIS said.

The Mission also reported that residents in camps around El-Geneina are increasingly concerned about the presence of armed men in and around their camps. They say that gunshots are being fired during the night.

Also in West Darfur, UN agency workers conducted a one-day sensitization training workshop on sexually transmitted diseases and gender-based violence for 60 members of the African Monitoring Force in El-Geneina.