UN chief recommends UN-EU force for Chad and CAR

UNITED NATIONS (AFP) - UN chief Ban Ki-moon yesterday recommended the UN Security Council authorize a joint United Nations-European Union force for eastern Chad and the northeastern region of the Central African Republic.

The secretary general presented a report with his revised concept for deploying a multinational force to the African region to protect hundreds of thousands of civilians threatened by conflict in western Sudan's Darfur region.

In late July, the EU gave the green light for preparations to provide temporary support for a UN police force in eastern Chad and northeastern CAR.

The EU said the mission "should be based on a resolution by the UN Security Council, with a clearly defined exit strategy."

The United Nations has estimated that there are 236,000 Darfur refugees and 173,000 internally displaced persons in Chad, with daunting logistical problems for humanitarian workers.