Kofi Annan and George W. Bush

United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan is expected to ask for manpower and equipment for a peacekeeping force for Sudan when he meets with President Bush later Monday.

Mr. Annan is scheduled to meet with Mr. Bush at the White House to discuss a peacekeeping mission for Sudan's war-torn Darfur region.

The peacekeeping force has been mandated by the U.N. Security Council to take over from an African Union force of seven thousand.

Last week, Mr. Annan said the U.N. force will have to be bigger and better equipped, which, he said, will require the participation of big and powerful countries with highly trained troops - including the U.S.

U.S. officials have said they hope to arrange a U.N. mission to Darfur by the end of this month.

Fighting between rebel and government forces in Darfur has killed tens of thousands and displaced two million

Some information for this report was provided by AFP and Reuters.