To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with African Union member states on the contribution of military forces to the African Union peacekeeping operations in (a) Sudan and (b) Somalia. (209511)

My noble Friend the Minister with responsibility for Africa, Lord Malloch-Brown, and senior officials have recently discussed, with several African countries, their current and potential troop contributions to the UN-African Union (AU) Mission in Darfur, including at the AU summit from 31 January-1 February.

My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has discussed the Ugandan deployment to the AU Mission to Somalia (AMISOM) with President Museveni. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary and my noble Friend Lord Malloch-Brown have raised deployment to AMISOM with Ghana and Nigeria, who have indicated that they were willing to contribute troops.