UN, AU appoint joint chief mediator for Darfur

UNITED NATIONS, June 30 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations (UN) and the African Union (AU) have appointed Djibril Yipene Bassole of Burkina Faso as their joint chief mediator for Darfur, the UN announced Monday.

Bassole, 51, will conduct the mediation efforts in the Sudan on a full-time basis. He will be based in El Fasher, capital of North Darfur.

UN and AU special envoys for Darfur Jan Eliasson and Salim Ahmed Salim will remain available for advice and engagement as required.

Since 2007, Bassole has been serving as Bukina Faso's foreign minister. Between 2000 and 2007, he was minister of security and played a key role in facilitating the Ouagadougou Agreement of 2007 signed between President Laurent Gbagbo of Cote d'Ivoire and Forces Nouvelles leader Guillaume Soro, who is now prime minister.