Sudan’s presidential aide, former rebel leader discuss political partnership
December 17, 2014 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese presidential assistant, Ibrahim Ghandour, discussed on Wednesday with the leader of the former rebel Justice and Equality Movement (JEM-Dabago), Bakheit Abdallah Dabago, the completion of the political partnership within the framework of the Doha peace accord (DDPD).
However the killing of its leader, Mohamed Bashar, near the Chadian border delayed the implementation of the peace deal, and a new leader, Bakheit Abdallah Dabago was appointed.
The spokesperson of JEM-Dabago, al-Sadiq Youssef Zakaria, in statements to the official news agency SUNA, described the implementation of several items of the DDPD as a “positive step” in spite of the slow pace of implementation.
“The meeting emphasised the need to sign the charter of political partnership between the [ruling] National Congress Party (NCP) and JEM-Dabago for further cooperation to serve the country,” Zakaria added.
He pointed the meeting also discussed conversion of the movement into a political party in order to secure its participation in the upcoming elections.
The spokesperson said that Ghandour and Dabago discussed several issues relating to the implementation of the DDPD besides issues of stability and peace in Darfur.
He added they also tackled the participation of the movement at various levels including the Council of States, the Darfur Regional Authority (DRA) and the Darfur Reconstruction Commission (DRC).
According to the DDPD, JEM-Dabago will be represented by a minister and a state minister at the federal level besides three commissioners and two ministers at the DRA and an advisor to the DRA chairman, as well as five ministers and six commissioners at the various Darfur governments and 13 MPs in the legislative councils in Darfur states and 10 members at the DRA council.
Zakaria stressed his movement’s commitment to implement all items of the DDPD in order to achieve stability and development in Darfur.
In August, the Sudanese army integrated 1,350 combatants from JEM-Dabajo in North Darfur in implementation of the security arrangements of the DDPD.
(ST)