KHARTOUM – The heads of a joint delegation from the United Nations and African Union (AU) travelled to Darfur yesterday to push for the deployment of UN peacekeepers in the war-torn western Sudanese region.
UN Under Secretary General for Peacekeeping Operations Jean-Marie Guehenno and AU Commissioner for Peace and Security Said Djinnit were due to meet “a wide range of stakeholders” during their visit, the UN said in a statement. Members of the team tasked with the technical assessment have already been working in Darfur for several days.Upon their return to Khartoum, Guehenno and Djinnit are to hold further consultations that “will cover the strengthening of AMIS (African Union Mission in Sudan) and preparation for a possible transition of AMIS to a UN operation”.The world body is planning to deploy a robust peacekeeping force in Darfur by the end of the year or the beginning of 2007 to take over from cash-strapped and poorly equipped AU troops.- Nampa-AFPMembers of the team tasked with the technical assessment have already been working in Darfur for several days.Upon their return to Khartoum, Guehenno and Djinnit are to hold further consultations that “will cover the strengthening of AMIS (African Union Mission in Sudan) and preparation for a possible transition of AMIS to a UN operation”.The world body is planning to deploy a robust peacekeeping force in Darfur by the end of the year or the beginning of 2007 to take over from cash-strapped and poorly equipped AU troops.- Nampa-AFP
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