Annan holds emergency meeting on Darfur

Secretary General Annan Thursday called an emergency meeting of a 17-nation group known as "Friends of Darfur". Among those attending were the ambassadors representing the United States, China, Russia, the European Union and the African Union - VOA:

Mr. Annan said the Friends of Darfur group also discussed boosting humanitarian assistance once a peace deal is reached, and increasing support for an African Union force known as AMIS that will be charged with keeping the peace.

"We need to strengthen the African Union force, because they will have to take steps to initially begin implementing the agreement once it is signed, and as the follow-on U.N. force is going to take time, it is extremely important that we take measures to strengthen the African force, which will mean additional troops, additional logistical support, additional financial support," he said.

May 4 2006 UN News Centre Top UN humanitarian aid official sounds alarm over world inaction on Darfur