The council will be making an eight-day trip to Africa, covering five countries in five days. The group, consisting of representatives of all 15 members of the council, has not been solidified yet, according to Verbeke. The council president did confirm, however, that the group departs for Africa on Thursday, June 14, visiting Accra, Ghana on June 15, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on June 16, Khartoum, Sudan on June 17, Abidjan, Ivory Coast on June 18, and Kinshasa on June 19. Members return to New York on June 21. Verbeke has scheduled a number of briefings for council members before their trip, including talks on the Ivory Coast and Sudan, and members will be briefed on Somalia by top U.N. political official Lyn Pascoe.--SPA www.spa.gov.sa/456044