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EUROPE-AFRICA: Blocs Urged to Respect Darfur Commitments

Stefania Bianchi

BRUSSELS, Oct 26 2005 (IPS) - The security situation in Darfur will continue to worsen and the political process will remain at a stalemate unless the European Union and the African Union “radically change behaviour and respect their commitments”, a leading conflict prevention think-tank warns.

If Darfur is to achieve stability anytime soon, the African Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS) must obtain more troops, a more robust mandate and fresh funding; while the EU must find ways to go beyond the present limitations of its African peace fund, says the International Crisis Group (ICG) in its report, “The EU/AU Partnership in Darfur: Not Yet a Winning Combination”, released Tuesday.

“For Darfur to stabilise, one of two things must happen. Either the parties must radically change behaviour and respect their commitments, or AMIS must be expanded in both size and mandate, and given the support it needs. Given this conflict’s history, the latter is the only real option today,” David Mozersky, ICG’s senior analyst said.

The report, which explores the strengths and weaknesses of the EU’s growing crisis response capability and suggests ways to make it more effective, says the bloc’s intervention in the Darfur region of western Sudan has put to the test the EU’s own peace and security structures and those of the African Union (AU).

“The EU/AU relationship on Darfur involves a mutually steep learning curve. It has been generally successful from a technical point of view, although coordination within and between each could be much improved, and has laid a foundation for further cooperation between Addis Ababa and Brussels,” the report says.

The Crisis Group praises the AU’s efforts for tackling the Darfur crisis since the war began in early 2003, but insists that more needs to be done to secure the ceasefire in the region.

“Even its initial deployment might not have been possible without EU support, but the EU/AU partners and the international community as a whole have to do much more and take a tougher stand if these efforts are to bear fruit,” said Alain Deletroz, ICG’s vice president for Europe.

ICG, a non-governmental organisation specialising in advocacy to “prevent and resolve deadly conflict”, warns that Darfur’s security situation is worsening, with none of the parties fully respecting the ceasefire, and that the political process is stalled..

“Security in Darfur has seriously deteriorated in recent weeks. Thousands more boots are needed on the ground immediately,” Suliman Baldo, director of ICG’s Africa programme, said in a statement.

“Unfortunately, the international community is not prepared at this stage to consider a NATO bridging force, or to convert the AU mission into a UN one to expand the pool of troop and financial contributors, but there is still more that can and should be done with the AU mission,” he added.

The UN says the humanitarian crisis in Darfur – one of the poorest regions of Sudan – has become the worst in the world since hostilities broke out in February 2003.

Arab militia known as the Janjaweed are accused of killing thousands and forcing more than a million people from their homes.

Some 2.5 million people have been affected by the crisis – a third of the total population of Darfur. Based on figures from the UN and relief organisations, it is estimated that between 180,000 and 300,000 people have died as a result of the conflict, while 1.8 million people have been displaced inside the region.

The AU, formally established in July 2002, has played a crucial role in confronting the Darfur crisis, taking the lead both in the political negotiations between the government and the rebels and in deploying the AMIS peace-monitoring mission.

The EU’s 250 million euro (301.7 million dollar) African Peace Facility (APF), which promotes African peace-keeping in Africa, has largely financed AMIS and has supported the deployment of the 3,144-strong AU observer mission in the region.

But the International Crisis Group warns that the APF is almost exhausted and needs to be replenished.

The group says the EU must find the political will and the financial means to support an expanded AMIS, whilst improving coordination with the AU.

“The EU should also improve internal coordination between its institutions and member states active on Darfur and external coordination with the AU, giving its new special representative, Pekka Haavisto, the authority and resources to ensure that it speaks with a single, strong voice,” says the report.

ICG also insists that the troop level on the ground in Darfur needs to be brought up to 12,000-15,000 immediately in order to create the “requisite security” to protect civilians, encourage displaced persons to begin to return home and establish conditions conducive to more productive negotiations for a political settlement.

“We have argued elsewhere that a NATO bridging force would be the most practical way of achieving this deployment, but unfortunately neither NATO nor the AU appear prepared to consider such a radical measure,” says the group.

The study also makes a series of recommendation for the AU. It says the organisation should prioritise efforts towards greater efficiency within its current structure, press Khartoum to allow immediate delivery of the badly needed armoured personnel carriers Canada has donated and plan urgently for expanding and improving AMIS.