Report
from UN-AU Mission in Darfur
El Fasher, 09 September  2015 

The 10th meeting of the Implementation Follow-up Commission (IFC) of the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur (DDPD) was held on 8 September in Doha, Qatar. The Commission discussed the progress made and the challenges faced in the implementation of the DDPD since its last meeting, which was held on 12 January 2015 in Nyala, South Darfur.

The meeting was co-chaired by the Deputy Prime Minister of the State of Qatar, H.E. Ahmed bin Abdullah Al Mahmoud, who hosted the meeting at the Four Seasons Hotel, Doha, and Ambassador Abiodun Bashua, UNAMID’s Acting AU-UN Joint Special Representative (AJSR) and Joint Chief Mediator. The Government of Sudan was represented by the Head of the Darfur Follow-up Office, Amin Hassan Omer, El Tigani Seisi represented the Darfur Regional Authority (DRA), while Bahar Idriss Abu Garda and Bakhit Dabajo attended on behalf of the Liberation and Justice Party and Justice and Equality Movement-Sudan respectively. Also present were representatives of the African Union, the European Union, the League of Arab States, Canada, Chad, China, Egypt, France, Japan, Russian Federation, the United Kingdom and Organization of Islamic Cooperation.

The Meeting agreed that the DDPD remains the main framework for resolving the conflict in Darfur and called on the non-signatory movements to join the peace process. Additionally, the IFC expressed its dissatisfaction with the internal splits, divisions and disagreements occurring amongst the ranks of the signatory movements; but it gave assurances that what has happened shall not affect the peace and development march in Darfur. Moreover, the IFC members expressed their appreciation for the efforts exerted by UNAMID and stressed upon the need for cooperating with the Mission in order to reach understandings with the Joint Working Group regarding UNAMID’s exit strategy, according to mutually agreed-upon objective criteria.

Finally, the forum emphasised the need to put an end to intertribal conflicts and armed confrontations; it underlined the importance of pressing on with the Darfuri-Darfuri dialogue as a foundation for reconciliation, forgiveness and coexistence in the region as well as the importance of the National Dialogue as the only means for resolving all Sudan’s problems.

Addressing the meeting, Deputy Prime Minister Al Mahmoud renewed his country’s pledge to continue its steadfast support for the DDPD. “We call on the parties to the Doha Document to accelerate their efforts of addressing the pending issues. We would like to remind them of the United Nations Security Council resolution, which confirmed its support for the Document as a solid framework for the peace process in Darfur and further appealed to the aforesaid parties to expedite its implementation,” he said.

At the meeting, AJSR Bashua presented a report on the DDPD implementation where he summarized the progress made in the conduct of the Darfur Internal Dialogue and Consultation (DIDC), including the successful completion of the first phase of the DIDC; UNAMID’s efforts in expediting the implementation of the Final Security Arrangements for ex-combatants from the Liberation and Justice Movement (LJM) and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM)-Sudan.

“UNAMID reiterates its commitment to support a complete and successful implementation of the DDPD with full participation from the holdout groups,” Mr Bashua concluded his report to the Commission by expressing concerns at the internal wrangling among DDPD signatories and urged that they be addressed urgently in the interests of effective implementation of the Doha Document and the effectiveness of the DRA.

Furthermore, Mr Bashua read out a special message from the UN Secretary General addressed to the 10th IFC meeting in which Mr. Ban Ki-moon commended the efforts of the Government of Qatar and the IFC members for supporting the peace process in Darfur. “It is my sincere hope that the armed movements and the Government of Sudan will take note of the strong guidance provided by the AUPSC in its Communiqué of 25 August,” said the Secretary General.

“All must now seize the opportunity to achieve cessation of hostilities agreements in Darfur and the Two Areas as the basis for a transparent and all-inclusive National Dialogue that would pave the way for sustainable peace, stability and development in Darfur and across Sudan,” stated Mr. Ban Ki-Moon while concluding his message to the meeting as delivered by AJSR Bashua.