Communiqué
The Chairperson of the African Union
Commission (AU), Mr. Alpha Omar Konare, has appointed Ambassador Baba Gana
Kingibe as his Special Representative in the Sudan. In this capacity, Ambassador
Kingibe will be the head of the AU Mission in the Sudan (AMIS).
This appointment follows the decision, on 20 October 2004, of the AU Peace and Security Council, to strengthen the African Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS). The Mission will monitor and observe compliance with the Humanitarian Ceasefire Agreement of April 2004 and all such agreements in the future. It will assist in the process of confidence building. This Mission will also contribute to a secure environment for the deployment of humanitarian relief and beyond that the return of the Internally Displaced People (IDPs) and refugees to their homes, thereby increasing the level of compliance of all Parties with the Humanitarian Ceasefire Agreement and contributing to the improvement of the security situation throughout Darfur.
AMIS shall consist of 3 320 personnel, including 2 341 military personnel, among them 450 observers, up to 815 civilian police personnel, as well as the appropriate civilian personnel.
This new appointment is an addition to Ambassador Kingibe's current responsibilities as the AU Special Envoy to the Sudan Peace Talks in Naivasha, Kenya.
Ambassador Kingibe, who was born on 25 June 1945 at Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria is a career diplomat. He has served his country as Foreign Minister, Internal Affairs Minister and Minister of Power and Steel from 1993 to 1998. In the course of his diplomatic and official career, Ambassador Kingibe was also involved in mediating and facilitation efforts in the crisis in Tchad, Liberia and the Congo.
Addis Ababa, 10 November 2004