African Union Peacekeeping

Sudan and South Sudan vowed Thursday to resolve protracted oil and border disputes that sparked days of clashes this week and fears of an all-out war.  Senior foreign ministry officials from the two sides met in the Ethiopian capital with African Union and United Nations representatives ahead of weekend crisis talks over the renewed hostilities.  Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir told an Arab summit in Iraq that Khartoum wanted good relations with South Sudan, a former civil war foe which gained independence from the north last July.

March 28, 2012 (KHARTOUM) – The United States told Malawi that the hold on hundreds of millions of dollars of aid may remain in place if it decides to allow Sudanese president Omer Hassan al-Bashir to attend the African Union (AU) summit next June.  Last week, the US announced that it is suspending $350 million allocated to Malawi through the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) citing deteriorating economic and political situation in the country.  

The African Union said Wednesday it was deeply concerned at an “escalating security situation” on the border between Sudan and South Sudan and called for a troops’ pullout from border zones.  “Any disputes over border territories can be resolved only through peaceful means,” AU Commission chairman Jean Ping said, calling for both sides to pull back their forces to 10 kilometers (six miles) from the border to prevent further clashes.  The U.S.

BAMAKO, Mali (AP) — The body representing nations in western Africa has suspended Mali and has put a peacekeeping force on standby in the most direct threat yet to the junta that seized control of this nation in a coup last week.  Alassane Ouattara, the president of Ivory Coast who is the rotating chair of the Economic Community of West African States, or ECOWAS, told reporters after an emergency meeting in the capital of Ivory Coast that Mali's democracy cannot be abandoned.

Ethiopian forces on Monday seized the main base of the Al Qaeda-linked Shebab insurgents in central Somalia, the latest stronghold the extremists have lost in recent months, witnesses said.  Ethiopian troops and fighters from the pro-government militia Ahlu Sunna Wal Jamaa seized El Bur town, some 150 kilometres (90 miles) south of the Ethiopian border, after a brief firefight.  "Ethiopian troops have taken positions inside and outside the town, but most of the residents fled before they arrived," said Abdukadir Sahal, a resident.

Somalis are increasingly supporting foreign intervention to restore stability in the lawless country.  According to a UN sponsored opinion poll, just released, perception of foreigners and foreign intervention among residents of Mogadishu, has improved in the last two years.

(Reuters) - The African Union (AU), backed by the United States, has put together a 5,000-strong military force to hunt down fugitive warlord Joseph Kony, whose profile has shot up following a celebrity-backed campaign against him.  Kony, accused of terrorizing northern Uganda for two decades, is wanted by the International Criminal court for war crimes.

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Ethiopian and Somali troops seized a town in Somalia controlled by al-Shabab militants who fled after battles with troops, residents said Thursday.  Hundreds of residents and rebel fighters fled Hudur, 420 kilometers (260 miles) southwest of Mogadishu, as troops moved into town. A resident said the fighting was over but sporadic gunfire could be heard.

Sierra Leone peacekeepers will deploy to Somalia after June.  The troops, a contingent of the African Union Mission in Somalia of more than 850 people men and women, have already been trained for the mission, Sierra Leone Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Ken Jabbi said.

MOGADISHU, Mar 22 – Ethiopian soldiers and pro-government Somali force closed in on a key town in southwest Somalia Thursday, battling Al-Qaeda allied Shebab insurgents, official and witnesses said.  Heavily armed troops advanced towards the town of Hudur, capital of the Shebab-controlled Bakool region, about 90 kilometres (56 miles) from the Ethiopian border.