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NATO Assistance to the African Union

Darfur

http://www.nato.int/issues/darfur/index.html

NATO is supporting to the African Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS), by providing strategic airlift, and training in command and control and operational planning.

Early in 2005, the African Union (AU) began significantly expanding its peacekeeping mission in Darfur in an attempt to halt the continuing violence in the region. On April 26, 2005, the African Union asked NATO to consider the possibility of providing logistical support to its operation in Darfur.

Less than one month later, NATO’s North Atlantic Council agreed on initial military options for possible NATO support to the African Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS), leading to the provision of strategic airlift; training in command and control and operational planning; assistance for the AU with “lessons learned” from AMIS, and improvement of the AU mission’s ability to use information in Darfur.

The first airlift flights began on July 1, 2005. By June 2007,, NATO had airlifted more than 24,000 African Union peacekeepers into Darfur, as well as over 500 civilian police, significantly boosting the force on the ground,. NATO has also trained several hundred AU officers in strategic-level planning and operational procedures, and provided support to a UN-led map exercise.

The May 5, 2006 Darfur Peace Agreement raised hopes for a transition to peace in this conflict-ravaged region of Sudan.

Following consultations between NATO and the AU, AU Commission Chairperson Alpha Oumar Konare on June 2, 2006 sent a letter to Secretary General de Hoop Scheffer requesting additional assistance for AMIS including: certification of the troops that are earmarked for the mission; and supporting the AU in setting up a Joint Operations Center for AMIS.

NATO is considering possible support to proposed AU/UN “hybrid” mission in Darfur, which is planned to include more than 20,000 troops.

Somalia

On 7 June 2007, NATO agreed, in principle, to respond positively to the 22 May 2007 request of the African Union Commission, to provide strategic airlift for AU states who are willing to deploy in Somalia under the AU Mission in Somalia (AMISOM). The assistance will be similar to the airlift NATO provided to the AU for its peacekeeping mission in Darfur.

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NATO Assistance to AMIS