Congo to head AU
2006-01-24 09:18
Khartoum - Congo is to be named to head the African Union (AU) this year and Sudan will take the AU chair in 2007 under a compromise reached overnight at a summit here, a minister said on Tuesday.
"It's done," said the minister who asked not to be named, adding that an announcement would be made at the plenary session on the final day of the AU summit being held in Khartoum.
Sudan's bid to head the 53-nation body had failed to garner the full support of countries because of the conflict in Darfur, where the AU is mediating peace talks and has deployed a peacekeeping force.
A Sudanese official confirmed that agreement had been reached.
"By way of compromise, the leaders have reached a formula by which Sudan may take the chairmanship next year," said foreign ministry spokesperson Gamal Ibrahim.
Bid caused unease
In the meantime, another country would assume the chairmanship.
"As far as I know only Congo-Brazzaville is a candidate," said Ibrahim.
Sudan on Monday offered to withdraw its bid to avoid a split among leaders of the 53-nation body gathered in Khartoum for a summit.
The bid from President Omar el-Beshir, who seized power in a 1989 coup, caused unease as the AU is mediating talks to end the bloodshed in Darfur, where 300 000 people have died in three years.
"We don't want to make any cracks in the Union. We don't want to make any divisions," presidential adviser Mustapha Osman Ismail said as African leaders met behind closed doors to try to decide on a new leader for the pan-African body.
"If that means Sudan should withdraw, we will withdraw."
The only official candidate for the AU chair, Sudan had won support from Egypt and Libya for its bid but west African and southern African governments were reluctant to give Khartoum the high-profile position.
US 'concerned'
Human rights groups had also warned that giving Sudan the AU chair would be tantamount to rewarding a regime accused by the United States of genocide in Darfur and would damage the credibility of the AU, set up four years ago with a new commitment to peace.
Late on Monday President George W Bush expressed the United States' "concern" about the prospect of Sudan taking over the presidency, saying it would "put them the titular head of the troops on the ground."
A five-nation working group set up by Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo and led by Botswana had asked President Omar al-Beshir to withdraw Sudan's candidacy during a meeting late on Sunday, sources said.
Algeria, Botswana, Ethiopia, Gabon and Niger - representing all the African regions - are to form a committee that will present a proposal on the AU chair during the second day of the AU summit on Tuesday.