|
AU Peace and Security Council Meeting on Sudan to be held later
in the Week New York - The African Union Peace and Security Council scheduled
for Monday 18 September will now possibly be held sometime during the week in
New York. The meeting will be convened to discuss the situation in Darfur and
consider the mandate of the African Mission in Sudan (AMIS). The reason
for the postponement is to allow AU Heads of State and Government comprising the
15-member AU Peace and Security Council, currently attending the UNGA, to participate
in the Peace and Security Council meeting. South Africa will now be represented
at the meeting by President Thabo Mbeki and supported South African Minister of
Foreign Affairs Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma in her capacity as the Chairperson of
the African Union Post Conflict and Reconstruction of the Sudan. South
Africa's attendance of the AU Peace and Security Council comes within the context
of the country's commitment to consolidating the African Agenda through among
others support for post-conflict reconstruction and development initiatives. The
AU Peace and Security Council meeting in New York today convenes against the background
of the adoption of the UN Security Council Resolution 1706 that calls for the
expansion of the UN mission in Sudan (UNMIS) from the current 10 000 to 17,300
troops and an additional 3000 civilian police. Resolution 1706 further
urges the Government of Sudan to accept the deployment of a UN force under Chapter
VII mandate. In terms of the resolution, part of the new force will be sent to
Darfur to monitor the implementation of the peace agreement signed in Abuja, Nigeria
on 5 May 2006. Issued by Ronnie Mamoepa at 082-990-4853 P/Bag
X152
Pretoria
0001 18 September 2006
| 
