The world must find a lasting solution in Darfur

By Michel Barnier, The Financial Times

August 13, 2004 — Beyond the humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in the Darfur region of western Sudan is the grave threat the crisis poses to the stability of a sensitive region. Sudan, the largest country in Africa, is at the crossroads of the Arab and African worlds. Many see the war that has dragged on in the country’s south for more than 20 years as symbolising Muslim-Christian confrontation. But the turmoil in the Muslim-African region of Darfur adds another dimension: a possible clash between Arabs and Africans. The United Nations Security Council in its recent resolution, which gave Khartoum 30 days to disarm the Janjaweed militias or face sanctions, described the situation in Sudan as a “threat to international peace and security”.

Since December 2003, France has supported the efforts of non-governmental organisations already operating in Darfur. So far, Europe has contributed more than ?220m ($270m) in aid, about twice as much as the US. With more than 1m displaced people in Sudanese territory and nearly 200,000 refugees in Chad, the priority is for aid workers to reach people in danger and for aid to be transported to them. This is why France is financing two heavy-lift aircraft to deliver aid supplies and has just mobilised its forces stationed in Chad to do the same on the other side of the border. A security back-up is needed here. This is the second emergency: ensuring security for aid workers, ceasefire observers and people at risk in the camps. Security must also be provided when these people eventually return to their villages. Here again, French troops in Chad are supporting the current African Union observer mission.

But the most pressing issue, above all, is the political emergency. There will be no lasting solution to the Darfur conflict without a political agreement: pressure must be exerted on all the parties – the rebel movements as well as the Khartoum authorities – to ensure they respect the ceasefire negotiated in N’Djamena in April and take part in the negotiations launched on July 15 in Addis Ababa by the African Union.

Our aim must be to ensure a definitive solution to the crisis: our main concern must be to guarantee regional stability and avoid a confrontation between Islam and the west that some clearly want to see. French action aims at addressing these three emergencies effectively while adhering to the following principles.

First, we resolutely support the search for an African solution. The entire African community, as gathered within the Union, is taking the Darfur issue seriously. We are determined to support its efforts, including those aimed at forging closer ties with the Arab League to map out together the outlines of a possible solution.

Second, we are promoting dialogue between all parties involved in the conflict. Peace in Sudan cannot be achieved against Sudan’s will. A lasting peace must be achieved with the whole of Sudan, with the government authorities and rebel movements. And this can be achieved only through negotiations.

At the same time, we insist that commitments must be respected. This implies that the Sudanese government disarm militias and arrest and then bring to justice their leaders and accomplices. This also means that rebel movements must respect the ceasefire and return to the negotiating table. We must also convince the two sides to reject policies of brinkmanship.

It is through a step-by-step approach that we can hope to overcome opposition and defuse tensions. The discussions led by Jan Pronk, the UNsecretary-general’s special representative for Sudan, and their first concrete results move in this direction and must be encouraged. The sanctions provided for in UN Security Council resolution 1556 cannot be an end in themselves; rather, they are a means of maintaining pressure and of getting the parties to take effective action. It is only by creating a climate of confidence that we can lessen tensions and pave the way for an agreement.

The African Union and the international community must put in place a suitable surveillance mechanism to monitor the implementation of the ceasefire. This may lead to an increase in the number of troops to be deployed on the ground and a change intheir mission from protection to peacekeeping.

We must not be naive: the challenges facing us in Sudan are immense. Darfur and Africa need dialogue andneed to be listened to. It is up to the international community to support the search for a solution that is crucial to the stability of the wholecontinent.

The writer is foreign minister of France