Rwanda: April 11, 2004

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The charter for current African Union (AU) sponsored peacekeeping operation in Burundi (the African Mission in Burundi, AMIB)  expired April 2nd. The "charter" was, after some negotiation, officially extended to May 2nd. The AU forces in the AMID (from South Africa, Ethiopia and Mozambique) currently contains 2,523 peacekeepers.. However, the AU acknowledges that the effort is expensive and funds are short. The UN has agreed to beef up the peacekeeping contingent to around 5,600 troops (plus about a thousand civilians). The UN would assume much of the financial burden of the operation. The cost for the first year would be  $418 million ($269 million for troop pay and maintenance, and $149 million to buy equipment and pay for transporting the troops to Burundi.) After national elections on October 31, the militias will be disarmed. Or that's the plan.