UNAMID chief seeks to enlist Juba’s help to promote Darfur peace accord

February 21, 2012 (JUBA) – The head of the African Union–United Nations mission in Darfur (UNAMID) Ibrahim Gambari met today with South Sudan President Salva Kiir to discuss with him ways to strengthen of the Darfur peace accord signed less than a year ago in the Arab Gulf state of Qatar.

Gambari is specifically seeking help in convincing non-signatory Darfur rebel groups to join the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur (DDPD). This strategy is expected to be incorporated into a UN-AU roadmap for peace in Darfur that is still in the works.

A tripartite committee will discuss the proposed roadmap in details next month in Addis Ababa.

The Sudanese government and Liberation and Equality Movement (LJM) signed the DDPD last July after nearly two years of talks.

The powerful Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) refused to sign and demanded that talks be reopened on the basis of the text but Khartoum rejected the request.

South Sudan’s government website quoted Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation minister Nhial Deng Nhial as saying that the UNAMID chief came to Juba to request Kiir’s support to the ongoing efforts to bring about peace in Darfur.

Kiir reiterated the position taken by the ruling Sudan People Liberation Movement (SPLM) since 2005 that they wish to see the conflict in Darfur resolved peacefully. He also assured Gambari that he will do everything possible to ensure that the international community efforts to restore peace in Darfur are promoted.

Gambari on his end thanked Kiir for welcoming him and expressed his full satisfaction with the commitment made by South Sudan for resolving Darfur crisis.

He stressed that what is needed now in Darfur is peace and Darfurian people must be part of the solution rather than being part of problems in the relations between South Sudan and the Sudan.

JEM, two factions of the rebel Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) led by Abdel Wahid al-Nur (SLM-AW) and Minni Minnawi (SLM-MM) and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) signed last November an alliance pact agreeing that a comprehensive solution for Sudan’s problems requires toppling the regime of President Omer Hassan al-Bashir.

Juba and Kampala are seen as main backers of Darfur rebels.

(ST)