Ban Ki-moon to attend ‘mini-summit’ on Sudanese-Chadian relations

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon arrived today in Dakar, Senegal, where this evening he is scheduled to participate as an observer in a mini-summit that brings together the Presidents of Sudan and Chad, whose common border has become a source of tension.

Also this afternoon, he is expected to meet with Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora, one of the leaders who have come to Dakar for the summit of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC).

Mr. Ban has already met today with OIC Secretary-General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu to discuss terrorism, Islamophobia, freedom of expression, Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory and Kosovo, according to a UN spokesperson.

The mini-summit, hosted by Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade, is expected to include King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia, President Omar Bongo of Gabon, President Jakaya Kikwete of Tanzania – Chair of the AU – and Alpha Oumar Konaré, Chair of the AU Commission, as well as Presidents Idriss Deby of Chad and Omar al-Bashir of Sudan.

Refugees and armed groups have been regularly crossing the border between the strife-torn Darfur region of Sudan and Chad, including, it is alleged, many of the rebels that attacked the latter’s capital N’Djamena in early February.