Written question asked by Andrew Mitchell (Conservative) on Monday, 26 November 2007, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 28 November 2007. It was answered by Jim Murphy (Labour) on Monday, 17 December 2007 on behalf of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Sudan: Peacekeeping Operations

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what representations the Government have made to the UN Security Council to expedite the deployment of an effective UN-African Union force to Darfur, Sudan.

Answer: I have been asked to reply.We have called for the early deployment of the UN-African Union force in Darfur (UNAMID) in the UN Security Council. We have been in close contact with the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO), which is responsible for generating the force in consultation with the African Union, on how we can speed up deployment: my noble Friend the Minister for Africa, Asia and the UN, the right hon. Lord Malloch-Brown, spoke to Under-Secretary-General Guehenno, Head of the DPKO, most recently on 6 December to discuss the issue. And my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary spoke about UNAMID with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on 7 December.We are working closely with allies in the Security Council to co-ordinate efforts in support of the DPKO and continue to press all parties for the prompt deployment of an effective force to Darfur.

Secondary information