To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress the United Kingdom has made with developing a plan which will enable Africa by 2010 to deploy a brigade sustainable in the field for 18 months for peacekeeping operations. [113659]
Since the G8 summit at Kananaskis in June 2002, G8 nations, including the United Kingdom, have been working with African partners to develop a joint action plan so that, by 2010, African countries and regional and sub-regional organisations are able to engage more effectively to prevent and resolve violent conflict on the continent, and undertake peace support operations in accordance with the United Nations Charter.A draft plan is still under discussion with the African Union and other partners. No decisions have yet been made on the size or sustainability of a possible African standby peacekeeping force.