Security Council calls for smooth transition to UN operation in Darfur, western Sudan

The Security Council today called on "all parties" to ensure a smooth and successful transfer to a UN operation in Darfur, while also commending the African Union's mission in the region and endorsing the AU Peace and Security Council's 30 April deadline for achieving peace. Full report UN News Centre.

Note, China holds the presidency for this month.



Photo: UN Security Council President Ambassador Wang (China)

Apr 11 2006 DPA - The council asked Secretary General Kofi Annan to send an assessment team to Darfur before April 30 to plan for the transition from the AU to the UN force. The AU had decided to pull out of Darfur by year's end, but agreed that some of its 7,000 troops would join the UN peacekeeping mission. The council said in a statement that the UN operation in Darfur would have "strong African participation and character."

Apr 11 2006 Reuters - The 15-nation Security Council, in a policy statement read at a public meeting, backed the African Union's April 30 deadline for reaching an agreement in the Abuja talks and reaffirmed its decision "to hold accountable those impeding the peace process and committing human rights violations." Diplomats said Britain would soon distribute a list of individuals it believes are blocking the peace process, who could become the targets of U.N. sanctions, such as a travel ban and having their foreign assets frozen. But China, which has veto power, has said it was not in favour of sanctions.

Apr 11 2006 UN Security Council calls for Sudan to explain Egeland fiasco

Apr 11 2006 AP/ST TEXT: Full UN security Council Statement

Apr 12 2006 AP/Guardian Edith Lederer Council Wants Deal on Darfur Conflict - US Ambassador John Bolton said the next step will be council consideration of a list of people subject to sanctions for blocking peace efforts. Britain's Ambassador Emyr Jones Parry welcomed the statement, saying "the key thing is that between all of us working with the regional organizations, we tackle the problem of the politics, the security and the humanitarian access in Darfur."

Deputy UN Secretary-General, Mark Malloch Brown on Darfur

Mar 11 2006 Malloch Brown appointed Deputy UN Secretary-General - excerpt:

America and Europe should provide troops and money for a major international peacekeeping force for Darfur, the new deputy UN secretary-general, Mark Malloch Brown, said yesterday.

Mr Malloch Brown, who was appointed last Friday, told the Guardian that only modern mobile forces, trained in helicopter operations, could be effective in Darfur. Peacekeeping operations by poorly equipped African and Asian countries were no longer sufficient. "We want the rest of the world to make a higher level of contributions to peacekeeping, involving more mainstream militaries around the world. It's going to need a whole new level of investment and logistical support," he said.

"You can't do this [peacekeeping in Darfur] through just troops on the ground with Landcruisers or lightly armoured vehicles because this place is the size of France. However many troops you have, the only way they are going to be effective in preventing attacks on civilians is if they are highly mobile.

"That means militarised helicopters that can protect themselves against ground fire and troops trained in helicopter-based operations. This is a very different model of peacekeeping."