Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak on Wednesday said that Egypt was keen on promoting African and international efforts to help achieve peace in Sudan, especially in the western Sudanese region of Darfur.
In an address after inspecting the Egyptian troops which are totake part in the UN-African Union (AU) hybrid peacekeeping force, Mubarak said that Egypt decided to participate in the peacekeeping operation there after an in-depth study and out of political and military consideration.
"Egypt is looking forward to restoring peace, security and stability in Sudan, a country with which we have vital ties, to realize national reconciliation and achieve unity among the Sudanese people," Mubarak was quoted by Egyptian Nile TV as saying.
Colonel Mostafa Harb, commander of the Egyptian forces to Darfur, briefed the president about the preparation of the Egyptian forces for participating in the UN-AU hybrid peacekeeping force, saying that Egypt would send an infantry battalion and three companies there.
The Egyptian forces would be deployed in Darfur on Feb. 17 and join other Egyptian army units that have been deployed there for months, according to Harb.
The UN-AU hybrid force, well-known as the UN-AU Mission in Darfur (UNAMID), took over the peacekeeping mission from the AU peacekeeping force on Monday.
Egypt is one of the largest contributors to the UN-AU hybrid force in Darfur with some 1,200 Egyptian soldiers and policemen, Mubarak said after meeting visiting Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi on Tuesday.
Gaddafi also inspected the Egyptian forces along with Mubarak at the Hikstep region in Cairo.
Source: Xinhua
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