For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
October 18, 2004
Statement on the Expanded African Union (AU) Mission in Sudan
The President has directed the Secretary of Defense to make
available two military transport aircraft for two weeks starting near
the end of October to support a portion of the deployment of the
expanded African Union (AU) mission in Sudan. The United States is
working with other international partners, including Australia,
Belgium, Canada, France, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and the
European Union to support the AU expansion of the mission to about
3,500 personnel. Secretary of State Powell is in close contact with
our international partners to encourage their support for this African
Union initiative.
The first 1,000 additional troops are expected to come from Rwanda
and Nigeria. The immediate task of the expanded AU mission is to
intensify monitoring of the cease-fire and help create conditions to
increase the free flow of humanitarian assistance to the people of
Darfur. Australia has also offered to provide two C-130 Hercules to
airlift African troops. The United States has also allocated an
additional $20.5 million to provide for logistical assistance to
support the AU mission in Darfur.
The President appreciates the leadership of AU Chairman Nigerian
President Obasanjo in dealing with the Darfur crisis, and in particular
the AU's willingness to take on the challenge of expanding their Darfur
monitoring mission. We anticipate a meeting of the AU's Peace and
Security Committee on October 20 to discuss the issue of mission
expansion. We believe that an AU decision to deploy additional African
troops by the end of October will greatly help to improve security and
create conditions in which humanitarian assistance can be more
effectively provided to the people of Darfur.
The United States calls upon the Sudanese Government and the Darfur
rebels to adhere to the cease fire, to allow for the free movement of
humanitarian workers and relief supplies and to work in good faith
toward a negotiated settlement.
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