The US and Britain today introduced a draft resolution to transfer peacekeeping in Sudan's conflict-ridden Darfur region from the African Union to a larger and better-equipped UN force.
The Sudanese government is strongly opposed to the idea, even though the cash-strapped African Union has requested to hand over peacekeeping. Sudanese president Omar al-Bashir remains staunchly opposed and has warned that Sudan's army would fight any UN forces sent to Darfur.
Britain's UN Ambassador Emyr Jones Parry stressed that no UN force will deploy in Darfur without the consent of the government. "We know that the agreement of the government of Sudan is quite crucial," he said.
With the security situation in Darfur worsening and violence escalating, Mr Jones Parry said he hopes the resolution can be adopted by the end of August.
US deputy ambassador Jackie Sanders said the Sudanese government's consent is not required by the resolution, but "practically speaking it's going to be useful to have the government on board to get this accomplished."
The resolution would replace the 7,000-strong African Union force with a UN peacekeeping mission of about 22,600 — comprising up to 17,300 troops, 3,300 international police officers, and 16 police units trained in riot and crowd control totalling about 2,000 officers.
The US-British draft resolution was introduced at a closed Security Council meeting following a briefing by Assistant Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Hedi Annabi, who told members that the security situation in Darfur had worsened since late June. Britain is reportedly sending an envoy to Khartoum to talk to president al-Bashir.
Ghana's UN ambassador Nana Effah-Apenteng, the current Security Council president, said he has invited all the major players to come to New York to meet the Council. The Arab League and Organisation of Islamic Conference have accepted in principle and he is waiting for replies from the African Union and Sudan's foreign minister. The draft resolution calls for the UN force to start to deploy by October 1st.