Sudan urges support to disarmament programme
February 17, 2008 (KHARTOUM) — The Sudanese government has urged the United Nations and donors to extend material and technical support for success of the programme for disarmament, demobilization and integration in the country.
The Commissioner for Disarmament, Demobilization and Integration in North Sudan, Sulaf-Eddin Salih launched this appeal in a press statement following the inaugural sitting of the National Council for Demobilization and Re-integration, on Sunday.
The council’s meeting was chaired by the Minister at the Presidency, Bakri Hassan Salih, in the presence of the representative of the UN Secretary General to Sudan, the Country Director of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the UNICEF Country Director and the Ambassadors of Japan, Britain and the European Union.
Salih said that the Minister at the Sudanese presidency has assured the government concern with implementation of the programme for disarmament, demobilization and integration.
He said that the minister appreciated the role of the UN and the donors in support of the programme.
He indicated that the National Council for Demobilization and Re-Integration will discuss the performance of the two Commissions for Demobilization and Re-Integration in North and South Sudan in the past period, in addition to the programmes for the year 2008.
Salih said that the UN is a major partner in implementation of the demobilization and integration programme.
Meanwhile, the representative of the UN Secretary General to Sudan affirmed at the meeting the organization’s support to the national leadership of the programme for disarmament, demobilization and integration in Sudan.
He said that implementation of the programme is necessary to guarantee permanent peace in Sudan.
(ST)