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Kenya to Host UN Meeting On Sudan War

The Nation (Nairobi)
NEWS
November 9, 2004
Posted to the web November 9, 2004
Nairobi
Kenya is to host a UN Security Council meeting on November 18 to tackle two
urgent African issues - the Sudanese civil strife and Somalia's transitional
government.
It will be the first time for Kenya - and the second for Africa - to host the
UN's top political organ whose decisions are binding on all UN member states.
It will be the 11th time for the council to meet outside the UN headquarters in
Manhattan, New York City.
It has met in Paris, Geneva, Addis Ababa and Panama City as well as in New York
but outside the headquarters.
The decision to meet in Nairobi was arrived at during a council meeting in New
York two weeks ago.
According to the agenda, the 15-member council will discuss with
representatives of the African Union and the Inter-Governmental Authority on
Development (Igad) four reports on the Sudan from UN secretary-general Kofi
Annan.
Speaking in Nairobi yesterday, Kenya's minister for East Africa and Regional
Affairs, Mr John Koech, said the talks would make far-reaching resolutions
aimed at ending the war in the western Sudanese region of Darfur and chart the
way forward for a new Somalia.
"They will make long-lasting resolutions on Darfur and maybe pledge to organise
funds and security for the new Somalia," he said.
AU and Igad have played leading roles in the Sudan and Somalia peace
initiatives.
Mr Annan's reports on Darfur will form the basis of discussions, which will
bring together key African leaders, particularly from the eastern region.
Among them will be Presidents Yoweri Museveni of Uganda, Benjamin Mkapa of
Tanzania and Paul Kagame of Rwanda.

   

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