By Daisy Ayliffe - 17th July 2006
UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan is in Brussels to persuade international donors to provide funds for the beleaguered African Union peacekeeping mission in Darfur.
With barely enough cash to pay aid staff salaries until the end of this month, the AU needs €214m to fund its efforts for the rest of the year.
Annan also urged the Sudanese government to accept a transfer of power to a UN force when the AU’s funding runs out in September.
But Sudan has said it would reject the move once more.
"It is very important that the government of Sudan accepts this transition as called for by the AU, as called for by the UN, the EU, the world community," US assistant secretary of state for African affairs Jendayi Frazer told reporters.
The conflict in Sudan’s eastern region began when non-Arab tribes revolted against Sudan’s Arab-led government, which is accused of responding by unleashing militias known as the janjaweed.
Khartoum denies involvement and agreed to disarm the janjaweed under the May 5 peace deal.
But violence continues and the Sudanese government has so far refused to allow UN peacekeepers to replace the over-stretched AU force.
“The delegation which left today is going to discuss with the EU what support is needed for AU forces ... [a UN force] is not the issue of the meeting,” Sudanese foreign ministry spokesman Jamal Ibrahim told reporters ahead of the Brussels gathering.
But Annan insists the UN mission will not sideline African troops but complement and strengthen their efforts.
“I will propose to the Security Council that the UN be authorized to provide a new level of support to AMIS (AU Mission in Sudan)” Annan said in a speech on Tuesday.
Speaking in Brussels, UN officials attempted to reassure the Sudanese authorities that local troops would play a key role.
“The UN mission will not replace the existing AU mission,” Annan’s spokesperson told reporters.
“Africa is a key part of the UN and a UN mission will be a gesture of solidarity. It is in that spirit that we wish to strengthen efforts in Darfur.”
NGOs used the Brussels pledging conference to call on donors to better equip AMIS troops in preparedness for a UN handover.
“It is imperative that funding and other assistance improve the ability of AMIS to protect civilians,” Amnesty International said in a statement.
“Strengthening the capacity of AMIS to effectively protect civilians would facilitate the transition to the envisaged UN peacekeeping mission, as any UN operation is likely to include some of the AMIS forces currently in Darfur.”
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