African Union Peacekeeping

African Union chief Thomas Boni Yayi called Wednesday for the creation of a UN-backed force to intervene in Mali, where Islamist militants and Tuareg rebels have declared independence in the north.

The African Union backed talks between Sudan and South Sudan was about to begin this week, but signs are that one party in the conflict (Khartoum), is still dragging its feet, whether to attend the much publicized talks with the Republic of the South Sudan or stay out altogether. They have started to blow hot and cold at the same time. This is how: they have introduced another element called security, an indicator that the issues of boundary demarcation and Abyei are to wait until the question of security for Sudan is addressed.

The first wave of a West African peacekeeping force has landed in Guinea-Bissau to help bring stability after last month's coup.

African Union mediator Thabo Mbeki is expected in Khartoum this week, Sudan's foreign ministry said on Tuesday, the day before a key UN deadline for Sudan and South Sudan to resume talks.

KHARTOUM — The African Union-United Nations peacekeeping mission in Darfur said Tuesday that Sudan has suspended flights to its support base in Uganda, a historic ally of South Sudan, but Khartoum denied the move.

KHARTOUM, Sudan — Sudan’s president says the conflict with Southern Sudan will not affect close relations between the two peoples.  Omar al-Bashir’s comments Sunday come days after his government accepted an African Union plan to resume talks with South Sudan, after recent fighting nearly brought the two nations back to the brink of war.

Khartoum on Thursday said it seeks peace with South Sudan and hopes the small country responds favourably to African Union and UN resolutions for ending hostilities.

May 1, 2012 (LONDON) - South Sudan’s lead negotiator with Sudan over post-independence issues and resolving the current conflict indicated Tuesday that he hopes East African countries can play a larger role in talks between Juba and Khartoum.

Addis Ababa — The African Union Commission Chairperson (AU), Jean Ping, welcomes the formal acceptance by South Sudan of the Roadmap contained in the communiqué adopted by the 319th meeting of the AU Peace and Security Council (PSC), held at ministerial level, in Addis Ababa, on 24 April 2012, AU said.

May 1, 2012 (WASHINGTON) – The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) appears headed for a vote on a U.S. draft resolution that requires Khartoum and Juba to return to the negotiating table or face non-military measures under article 41 of the UN charter.  Intervention by the UNSC was requested by the African Union Peace and Security Council (AUPSC) in a communiqué it issued last week following a meeting it held to discuss the quickly deteriorating situation between north and south Sudan.