African leaders will discuss the conflict in Mali and will seek to speed up the deployment of an African force there as well as discussing the political standoff between the Sudans when the African Union summit opens Sunday. Following a security meeting on Friday, the AU resolved to bolster the strength of the African-led force in Mali, or AFISMA, and gave member states one week to commit troops to the mission. "We definitely know, based on the first assumptions... that the force size will have to be significantly augmented," AU peace and security commissioner Ramtane Lamamra told reporters after the security meeting. Lamamra said AFISMA's strength should be increased "to better respond to the needs on the ground," but declined to give numbers.. The AU will also seek urgent "temporary" logistical support from the United Nations for AFISMA, and ask the UN to "authorise... the immediate establishment by the UN of temporary arrangements that would enable AFISMA to speedily deploy and effectively implement its mandate," according to an AU statement.
