Sissi hails Qatar and Chad efforts for peace in Darfur
July 22, 2016 (KHARTOUM) – Former chairman of the Darfur Regional Authority (DRA) Tijani al-Sissi has praised the role played by Qatar and Chad to achieve peace in the region.
Last month, Sudanese government announced the official dissolution DRA and Darfur Peace Office, indicating that the implementation of peace agreement in Darfur region.
It said that a general directorate would be established at the presidency to oversee the DRA five commissions.
In a talk show aired by the public Radio Omdurman on Friday, al-Sissi hailed the Qatari role in supporting peace and stability in Darfur, pointing to the large development projects sponsored by Doha in the region.
He pointed that Qatar had hosted government and rebels negotiating teams besides the stakeholders for two years before reaching the DDPD, saying the document was developed by “a very powerful Qatari will”.
Al-Sissi said that Qatar currently funds the construction of 75 villages in Darfur, calling for the need to continue the implementation of the DDPD.
DRA former chairman also praised the significant role played by the Chadian President Idris Deby in supporting the peace process in Darfur, pointing to the latter’s efforts to convince the armed movements to sign the DDPD.
He mentioned the experience of the joint Sudanese-Chadian border force which prevented any potential security problems on the border.
Al-Sissi stressed that the Doha document has addressed the root causes of the conflict in Darfur, saying the government wouldn’t accept any document to replace the DDPD.
He pointed to the significant improvement in the security situation in the region, saying the peace document largely contributed to creating the conducive climate for the voluntary return of IDPs to their villages besides providing education and infrastructure for reconstruction in Darfur.
On 12 April, the Sudanese army declared Darfur a region free of rebels following the capture of Srounq area, the last stronghold of the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM-AW) led by Abdel-Wahid al-Nour in Jebel Marra.
Al-Sissi added that the greatest success of the DDPD was reflected in transforming the mentality of the residents from war to peace, saying the ability of the stakeholders to overcome the injustices was the main motive that carried the international community to render support for peace in Darfur.
He demanded that all statements regarding the exit strategy of the hybrid peacekeeping mission in Darfur (UNAMID) must be confined to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
(ST)