Darfur peacekeeping chief agrees for more cooperation with ex-rebel
April 8, 2009 (AL FASHER) – The Joint Special Representative of the United Nations and African Union in Darfur, Rodolphe Adada, met Wednesday in the capital of North Darfur state with ex-rebel leader Minni Minnawi to discuss greater cooperation with the regional authority established as part of a peace deal signed at Abuja in 2006.
Prior to Minnawi’s arrival, a top aide serving as chairman of one component of the TDRA, the Darfur Reconstruction and Development Fund, Abdel Jabbar Dosa, had resigned while accusing the National Congress Party (NCP) of impeding implementation of the fund’s strategic plan and projects by refusing to transfer the agreed 700 million US Dollars.
At the meeting today, Adada received a request from Minnawi for more frequent contacts between UN-African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) and the TDRA.
According to a daily briefing of the peacekeeping mission, the two officials discussed the security situation in Darfur. Unacceptably rapid integration Minnawi’s troops into the army, in violation of the six-phase security arrangements outlined in the Darfur Peace Agreement, had been one reason cited by Dosa in his resignation from the TDRA.
Minnawi and Adada also discussed the humanitarian situation in Darfur; since the expulsion of some major aid groups in early March, the UNAMID has been involved in some tasks such as water deliveries that had been handled by the aid groups.
“Mr. Adada stressed the importance of keeping close contact with the TDRA and reiterated UNAMID’s support for the effective implementation of the Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA) and other subsequent Agreements, in line with its mandate,” stated UNAMID.
However, Minnawi also requested that the UN-AU mission support the people of Darfur with more so-called “Quick Impact Projects.”
The meeting was also attended by the UNAMID Deputy Joint Special Representative for Operations and Management, Hocine Medili.
(ST)