Donors pledge nearly $300m for Darfur force
(Agencies)
Updated: 2005-05-28 08:34

Donors have pledged nearly $300 million to fund a bigger African Union (AU) force to help end fighting in Sudan's western Darfur region, AU officials said on Friday.

They said Canada gave the biggest contribution of $133 million, followed by the United States with $50 million and Britain with $12 million. Smaller donations will come from other countries.

The AU had requested $466 million to more than triple its force to about 7,900 troops.

The 53-nation AU has deployed about 2,300 troops to monitor a shaky ceasefire in Darfur, with international financial backing to pay for the mission, but experts say the force is far too small to patrol an area the size of France. It first deployed in August.

"The donors also agreed to provide helicopters, armored personnel carriers, trucks and fuel," an AU official said.

The European Union and NATO have agreed to provide air transport, materiel and training for the expanded AU force.

Canada offered 25 helicopters, two planes and more than 100 armored personnel carriers, the officials said. Britain is offering 400 troop transport trucks, and Germany and France will provide airlift services.

Deputy Secretary of State Robert Zoellick, who will visit Darfur next week, said Sudan was striving to resolve the conflict in remarks that contrasted with past U.S. criticism that Khartoum supported genocide and did little to end the violence.

"I believe the government is working toward finding (a) political solution," Zoellick told reporters.

Zoellick, who has made Sudan one of his top priorities since taking up his post earlier this year, said government gunships and helicopters were no longer used against rebels in a sign Khartoum now wanted peace.

Also on Friday, U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan arrived in Sudan for a three-day visit to see the current AU force in operation and speak with Sudan's leaders about upcoming peace talks over Darfur.

About 180,000 people have died in Darfur through violence, hunger and disease since rebels took up arms against the Arab-dominated government in February 2003.

The rebels accuse Khartoum of arming local Arab militia who have burned down villages and killed and raped civilians. Khartoum denies the charge.

Efforts to solve the crisis peacefully have been stalled for the past six months, but AU-mediated talks between the rebels and Khartoum are expected to resume by June 10 in the Nigerian capital Abuja.

Abdel Wahid Mohammed Ahmed Nour, chairman of the rebel Sudan Liberation Movement, on Friday told Reuters he would "go to the negotiations without restrictions or conditions."

He also welcomed the appointment of Salim Ahmed Salim, a Tanzanian who once led the AU's predecessor body, as special envoy to the talks.

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