EvanL
05-27-2005, 03:52 PM
By Our Wire Services
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia - International donors, led by Canada, pledged an additional $200 million US to fund the African Union peacekeeping operation in Darfur on Thursday.
The Canadian pledge, by far the largest at a conference to raise money to stop the violence in western Sudan, promised the equivalent of $134 million US.
The added donation, originally announced by Prime Minister Paul Martin earlier this month, is on top of a previous Canadian commitment of about $71 million to promote peace in Sudan, taking Canada's overall pledge to some $205 million.
The United States promised most of the rest of the additional money announced Thursday - $50 million - on top of the $95 million already committed by Washington.
Charles Snyder, the U.S. State Department's senior representative on Sudan, said the money was to help end what he called "acts of genocide."
Canada has said its aid would go toward helicopters and other military material for African Union forces, as well as humanitarian aid, and reflects Ottawa's increased commitment to helping Africa. Finance Minister Ralph Goodale announced in March that Canada would double its aid to the continent by 2008-09 from 2003-04 levels.
The African Union has 2,270 troops in western Sudan attempting to stop fighting between rebels and Arab militias, but has plans to increase that number to more than 12,300. The African Union has asked for $723 million for the Darfur operation, but was $350 million short at the beginning of Thursday's conference.
Britain pledged $12 million on Thursday and Germany $1.25 million. Other countries made smaller pledges or offered troops.
The peacekeeping operation is a critical test of international commitment and Africa's resolve to end conflicts in the world's poorest continent, African Union Commission chairman Alpha Oumar Konare said.
"If Sudan were to collapse then the entire continent of Africa, with nine countries bordering Sudan, will also suffer and collapse," he said.
Konare said officials were still analysing the pledges but that it appeared enough money was raised to bolster the force currently in Darfur.
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia - International donors, led by Canada, pledged an additional $200 million US to fund the African Union peacekeeping operation in Darfur on Thursday.
The Canadian pledge, by far the largest at a conference to raise money to stop the violence in western Sudan, promised the equivalent of $134 million US.
The added donation, originally announced by Prime Minister Paul Martin earlier this month, is on top of a previous Canadian commitment of about $71 million to promote peace in Sudan, taking Canada's overall pledge to some $205 million.
The United States promised most of the rest of the additional money announced Thursday - $50 million - on top of the $95 million already committed by Washington.
Charles Snyder, the U.S. State Department's senior representative on Sudan, said the money was to help end what he called "acts of genocide."
Canada has said its aid would go toward helicopters and other military material for African Union forces, as well as humanitarian aid, and reflects Ottawa's increased commitment to helping Africa. Finance Minister Ralph Goodale announced in March that Canada would double its aid to the continent by 2008-09 from 2003-04 levels.
The African Union has 2,270 troops in western Sudan attempting to stop fighting between rebels and Arab militias, but has plans to increase that number to more than 12,300. The African Union has asked for $723 million for the Darfur operation, but was $350 million short at the beginning of Thursday's conference.
Britain pledged $12 million on Thursday and Germany $1.25 million. Other countries made smaller pledges or offered troops.
The peacekeeping operation is a critical test of international commitment and Africa's resolve to end conflicts in the world's poorest continent, African Union Commission chairman Alpha Oumar Konare said.
"If Sudan were to collapse then the entire continent of Africa, with nine countries bordering Sudan, will also suffer and collapse," he said.
Konare said officials were still analysing the pledges but that it appeared enough money was raised to bolster the force currently in Darfur.