Despite some criticism of the huge U.S.presence, these troops were focused on securing Port au Prince hospitals and delivering humanitarian relief.

VOA: standard.2010.01.20

But the AU mission is also controversial among some Somalis, who blame the peacekeepers for fueling more violence.

VOA: standard.2009.04.17

Sceptics point out that, while promoting pan-African democracy, some AU nations are run by autocrats.

BBC: Profile: African Union

The report found that the CRU scientists would, had they been more statistically au fait, have done some things differently.

ECONOMIST: Climate science and its discontents: A place in the sun | The

So far only Uganda and Burundi have contributed soldiers to the AU force, which currently has some 6, 000 troops.

BBC: Guinea to join AU peacekeeping force in Somalia