Mbeki promises more Sudan help
2005-02-02 09:38
Abuja - The African Union (AU) will urgently deploy more troops in the conflict-ridden Darfur area in the western part of Sudan.
Speaking after the AU summit in the Nigerian capital Abuja on Monday night, President Thabo Mbeki said the number of soldiers in the AU force in Darfur must be increased as a matter of urgency.
"The AU observers and the Sudanese government say the ceasefire is effective in areas where AU forces are deployed. The summit has therefore decided to deploy AU troops everywhere so that nobody violates the peace agreement," he said.
The Sudanese government has come under strong attack after its planes bombed a town in Darfur last week. More than 100 civilians died and about 900 were left homeless by the attack.
South Africa will offer logistic support to make the deployment possible. Mbeki said the additional troops would need housing and South Africa would also assist in this regard.
Regarding the expansion of the United Nations' Security Council, Mbeki said the heads of state decided that Africa would have two permanent seats on the Security Council and would have the same powers as the current five permanent members. This would include veto powers.
Africa also wanted five temporary seats, one for each of the five regions of Africa, namely north, south, east, west and central.
A committee made up of 15 foreign ministers would work on the details in Swaziland in two weeks' time and this would be ratified at a special meeting of the AU's executive committee, he said.