Ahern urged to pressure Sudanese officials over Darfur

Minister for Foreign Affairs Dermot Ahern is due to meet government officials in Sudan today on the first day of a week-long trip to Africa.

The talks come amid an ongoing humanitarian crisis in the Darfur region sparked by conflict between local rebels and government forces.

The Sudanese Government has been accused of hindering relief efforts and has also refused to allow the deployment of UN peacekeepers in the area.

John O'Shea, the chief executive of the Irish aid agency GOAL, is demanding that Mr Ahern put pressure on the Sudanese authorities to change this stance during their meeting today.