Brown's plans for Darfur

Last Modified: 31 Jul 2007
By: Gary Gibbon

Gordon Brown engineers, with France, a major military commitment to trying to restore security to the region.

It's a conflict that's left 200,000 people dead and another two million uprooted from their homes.

Now, a vote on a United Nations resolution in the next few hours could finally see a large peacekeeping force sent to Sudan's Darfur region.

Speaking to the UN for the first time as Prime Minister, Gordon Brown said the force needed to be deployed quickly to prevent further killings

UN resolution on Darfur

Troops up from 7,000 to 26,000
A combined "hybrid" UN-African Union force
Gives go-ahead for "necessary action" to defend personnel
One year to get troops in place

The resolution, drawn up by the UK and France, will raise the number of troops and police in the area by 19,000 from 7,000 to 26,000

Soldiers from both the UN and the AU will form a combined "hybrid" force, with the majority of infantry soldiers recruited from African nations.

Parts of the resolution fall under Chapter seven of the UN charter, which gives the go-ahead to use "necessary action" to defend personnel and allow humanitarian workers to pass through the region.

It's estimated that it will take one year to get the troops in place