Ghana To Contribute Troops For Burundi Peace

Former South African President Nelson Mandela, the facilitator of the Burundi Peace process, said Thursday in Sirte, Libya, that Ghana, Nigeria and South Africa have agreed to contribute armed troops under UN auspices for deployment to Burundi.

Briefing the OAU 5th extra-ordinary session on the faltering peace in the troubled Central African country, Mandela said he was liasing with the UN Secretary General Kofi Annan on the issue.

He said the troops, whose number still has to be determined, would support the Burundi Defence Force in maintaining peace in the country.

The former South African President said Defence Chiefs of the troops contributing nations are due to meet in South Africa this week to work out details of the mission.

He said that seven countries, including Algeria, had been proposed to contribute the armed troops, but, for "understandable reasons," Algeria could not meet up.

Disclosing that the 2000 Paris International Donors' Conference on Burundi brought pledges of about 500 million US dollars; Mandela called for redemption of the pledges and more international support for the peace process.

The majority of Burundi feuding parties signed a peace agreement in August 2000 at the Tanzanian city of Arusha, but the implementation of the accord has run into a hitch because of disagreements among the factions.

This is amid renewed rebel attacks against the Bujumbura government of embattled President Pierre Buyoya.

A summit held last week by leaders in the sub-region on Burundi has done little to ease the political tension in that country.