Sudan to name presidential assistant as responsible of Darfur dossier

August 19, 2007 (KHARTOUM) — Sudanese president has assigned the dossier of Darfur crisis to Nafi Ali Nafi, a presidential assistant and the deputy leader of the ruling National Congress Party (NCP), a pro-governmental newspaper reported today.

Political sources have confirmed that the Presidency has decided to assign the resolution of Darfur crisis to Nafi Ali Nafi, whole will replace the late Majzoub al-Khalifah Ahmad. The sources indicated a decision in this regard will be issued within the next few days, Akhir Lahzah said.

The sources attributed Nafi’s selection to the complexity of the Darfur dossier where the work of the majority of official military, security and political bodies intersected. They further said it was necessary to appoint an influential leader who was capable of taking decisions during and after the forthcoming negotiations with Darfur’s rebel movements.

The question of the succession of Majzoub al-Khalifah was one of the important matters in term of balance of power between the two major streams within the NCP, observers say.

The eventual nomination of Nafi means that the hardliners in Khartoum keep the upper hand over the dossier of Darfur. Nafi and Majzoub are considered among the Al-Bashir’s wing in the ruling party. “It was obvious from the beginning that the vice-president Ali Osman Taha would not be assigned for this mission.”

Since the signing of the CPA with the SPLM Ali Osman is accused of working to replace al-Bashir. He also accused of making a lot of concession to the SPLM during Naivasha talks.

(ST)