Brussels, 30/09/2004 (Agence Europe) - The European Union this week formally restated its willingness to provide enhanced support to the enlarged mandate of the African Union in Sudan and to increase its humanitarian aid in support of victims of the Darfur crisis.
Talks held between Jan Pronk, United Nations Secretary General's Special Representative for Sudan, who was met this week in Brussels by Javier Solana, EU High Representative for Foreign Policy and by Commissioners Chris Patten (External Relations) and Poul Nielson (Humanitarian Aid), provided an opportunity for discussion.
Poul Nielson and Chris Patten assured Jan Pronk that the European Commission - which has already provided EUR 92 million in humanitarian aid via ECHO (European Community's Humanitarian Aid Office) is willing to do more as access to victims improves. Poul Nielson said he was deeply concerned by the fact that many people still do not have access to emergency humanitarian aid despite recent improvements for greater access by humanitarian workers.
Both Commissioners also confirmed their full support to the AU mission deployed in Darfur and welcomed the constructive and pro-active role it plays in seeking a lasting and peaceful solution to the conflict. The Commission, they assured, which has already financed 60% of the costs of the ceasefire observer mission (with EUR 12 million from the support facility for African peace-keeping forces) is said to be willing to provide more funding for an enlarged mission.
Jan Pronk was at the EU Political and Security Committee (COPS) and with Javier Solana to urge for the massive mobilisation of resources, both financial and human, to help the African Union successfully carry out the enlarged mandate attributed to it by the UN Security Council. The AU peace force to be deployed in Darfur should be a large-scale force for a "gigantic region" like Darfur, as it will take more than just a handful of soldiers, he explained. Not only would the force have to monitor respect of the ceasefire but it would also have to ensure security in the camps and elsewhere, To allow refugees to get back to their villages. The stakes are high as the risk of famine looms if farmers are unable to work their fields in time for the next harvest. Jan Pronk said that he was convinced that Europe had provide more help to increase the AU's capability.
Addressing the press, Pronk says troop numbers needed are in thousands
Javier Solana added that the troops on the ground would be African, as the African Union would remain leader and mast of the operation. Increased EU aid could take the form of support for training or communication for operation planning - if the request is made, he pointed out.
For the time being, the detailed modalities for this support have not been decided, despite several evaluation missions of the needs outlined by the African Union (EUROPE 18 September, p5) and bilateral contacts Javier Solana has had with Alpha Konaré, president of the AU and a number of African Heads of State, in a backdrop to the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
The idea of deploying a police force, thirty strong, is still on the table but nothing has been decided about it.. And for good reason, the European Union is still awaiting a formal request from the African Union. Moreover, according to sources close to the AU, the latter has not for the instant displayed much enthusiasm about the idea of deploying European forces on its soil.
At the delegation of Sudanese parliamentarians led by Mr Al Mahdi, which had come to meet him on the same day, High Representative Solana expressed his concerns about constant violations of the cease-fire and attacks against civilians. He underlined the need for real and rapid progress in disarming the militias and taking them to court. He also pointed out the importance of a genuine commitment from all parties for a positive conclusion to the ongoing peace process.