To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if she will (a) make representations and (b) provide assistance to the African Union (AU) to ensure that per diem payments similar to those paid to United Nations Peacekeeping forces are made to countries supplying AU peacekeeping forces. (100829)

The African Union provides its peacekeeping forces with a Mission Subsistence Allowance (MSA), similar to the “per diems” paid by the United Nations. These are paid directly to the troops concerned rather than to troop-contributing countries.

However, the African Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS) has been experiencing financial difficulties for some time which are impacting on its ability to meet some of its running costs, including MSA payments. These are due to a combination of problems with AMIS’s financial management which have led to stalled funding from the European Commission, and promises of funds from the Arab League and others that have not yet been honoured. We have regularly called on donors to fulfil their pledges.

We are also providing AMIS with £13.5 million in direct funding to help it meet its current running costs. This will include payment of salaries and MSA for the AMIS peacekeeping force, as well as measures to ensure the effective financial management of these payments.