Sudan’s Darfur region, DR of Congo top agenda at Annan’s talks in New York
United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan held separate talks in New York today with top African and European
officials on the situations in Darfur, Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
In a meeting with Alpha Oumar Konaré, the Chairman of the African Union (AU) Commission, the two discussed the Abuja
peace talks aimed at ending the conflict in Sudan’s troubled western Darfur region, according to a UN spokesperson.
“They also discussed support for the African Union force in Darfur, including the possibility of a donors’ conference,”
spokesperson Marie Okabe reported.
On the DRC, they reviewed a number of issues, including how to ensure an inclusive electoral progress. Mr. Konare, who
travels to the DRC next week, also spoke with Mr. Annan about the situation on Chad-Sudan border, and steps being taken
to defuse the tension there.
Darfur and the DRC were also on the agenda at a separate meeting between Mr. Annan and European Common Foreign and
Security Policy High Representative Javier Solana. They reviewed European Union support for the AU force in Darfur and
for the electoral process in the DRC, Ms. Okabe said.