Sudan: Annan urges more aid to African force in Darfur as Security Council weighs options

With tensions persisting in Sudan’s Darfur province, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan today urged more resources for the African Union (AU) mission in the region, while the Security Council considered future plans, including a possible United Nations force there.

“The Security Council is fully seized of this matter, and is looking at ways and means of strengthening the peacekeeping operations on the ground,” Mr. Annan told reporters in New York. “For the immediate we will need to ensure that the African Union forces have all the support – financial, logistical and material that they need.

“So we need to take immediate measures to strengthen the African Union, give them the support necessary whilst we work on the future plans for the Security Council,” he said.

Last week, the Secretary-General noted that the AU mission will run out of resources in March, and said the UN is undertaking contingency planning as the Council weighs future options.

In his remarks to the press today, the Secretary-General said talks in Abuja, Nigeria, aimed at resolving the crisis are not going well and he appealed to both sides to negotiate a settlement.

“I think the Government and the rebels have to understand that there is a need for urgency, and each day that they delay peace, they are condemning thousands and thousands of their people to misery and impossible conditions,” he said. “So I appeal to the Government and all the rebels to really negotiate in earnest for the sake of their country and their people.”

Mr. Annan was accompanied by President Janez Drnovšek of Slovenia, who voiced appreciation for the work of the AU force, but said it was not sufficient to address the problem. “They cannot insure the safety of the refugees, of the civilian population, and unfortunately, these paramilitary troops have not been stopped,” he observed. “They are still attacking the civilian population, killing them, raping, all kinds of atrocities going on.”

President Drnovšek voiced support for the creation of a UN force for Darfur. “A UN mission I think is needed there and I hope that the Security Council will once again discuss the situation and adopt more decisive measures,” he said.

The UN currently has a peacekeeping mission in Sudan (UNMIS) tasked with supporting the Comprehensive Peace Agreement signed between the Government of Sudan and the southern Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army (SPLM/A). It also has a mandate from the Security Council to provide some support to AMIS in Darfur.

Today, UNMIS reported that in South Darfur banditry has continued and buses and commercial vehicles contracted to international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and humanitarian agencies have been attacked.

In Southern Sudan, two anti-tank mines were discovered, one on the Juba-Yei road and one on the Gogrial-Wau road. The UN Mine Action Office declared the usually heavily-travelled Juba-Yei road a no-go area for the UN, limiting the delivery of humanitarian assistance.

Over last weekend and on Monday, UNMIS chief Jan Pronk visited Washington, DC, where he met with officials of the World Bank and the United States Administration for discussions on Sudan, including Darfur, and on relations between Sudan and Chad.

He also briefed NATO officials in Brussels today on the same issues.