Sudan, SLM-Minawi to discuss Darfur reconstruction in Netherlands
June 20, 2006 (THE HAGUE) — A Sudanese government delegation will meet with representatives of the largest rebel group in Darfur, the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM), here this week to discuss Darfur reconstruction in accordance with the peace deal signed in May, the Dutch foreign ministry said in a statement Tuesday.
On May 5, a peace deal aimed at ending more than three years of violence in the poverty-stricken western Sudanese region was signed by the Sudanese government and the SLM faction led by Minni Minawi,one of three rebel factions involved in Abuja peace talks.
The so-called workshop here Wednesday and Thursday will focus on implementing the accord and taking an inventory of what is needed in the short term to rebuild the war torn region of Darfur, the ministry said.
It will be the first time that the two parties will meet for talks after signing the Abuja deal.
During this week’s meetings the coordination group for the rebuilding of Darfur, which the Netherlands will head, is to be established, the ministry said.
The Sudanese government delegation is due to be led by deputy minister of finance Lhual Deng and the SLM team by Abduljabbar Mohamoud Dosa, Minnawi’s righthand man.
The two-day meetings, in The Hague’s Bel Air hotel, will also be attended by representatives of the United Nations, the World Bank, the African Union, the European Commission, Britain, Norway and the United States.
(ST)