Darfur regional body term wouldn’t be extended: official
April 25, 2016 (KHARTOUM) – The head of the Social Welfare Fund at Darfur Regional Authority (DRA) Nahar Osman Nahar has ruled out that the term of the regional body would be extended.
It was basically responsible for monitoring development projects and maintaining security and stability besides holding a referendum to determine the administrative status of Darfur.
Nahar told Sudan Tribune that the term of the DRA has officially elapsed following holding of the referendum, saying the DDPD provides that its term shall extend for four years.
President Omer al-Bashir last year issued a presidential decree extending the term of the DRA for one year effective 15 July, 2015.
Nahar added that the appropriate move would be to attach the DRA commissions and funds to the presidency just like the Eastern Sudan Reconstruction and Development Fund.
He stressed the need to continue the work of the DRA commissions and funds to follow up on the implementation of the various development projects, ruling out that the term of the regional body would be extended.
He pointed that Bashir’s decree to extend the term of the DRA was aimed at allowing it to hold the administrative referendum.
In accordance with the DDPD, Darfur residents voted during three days (from 11-to 13 April) to determine whether they want to keep the current separate five states or re-establish one region.
On Saturday, the Darfur Referendum Commission (DRC) said that 97 per cent of the registered voters in the region’s administrative referendum chose to retain the status quo states system.
In a statement issued on Sunday, Sudan’s foreign ministry said that the term of the DRA has officially ended following the announcement of the referendum results, noting its various commissions would be attached to the presidency.
(ST)