Sudan, Arab League renew Darfur efforts

Sudan and the Arab League agreed to re-energize their joint cooperation to mobilise Arab support to development projects in Darfur, after the signing of the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur (DDPD) last July. The Arab League played an active role to achieve peace in Darfur jointly with the African Union and the United Nations. However, the Arab spring that took place in several countries after the signing of the DDPD minimized its implication in Darfur. Amin Hassan Omer Sudan’s state minister at the presidency tasked with the follow up of the DDPD’s implementation met on Monday with the new Arab League Secretary-General Nabil Elaraby to discus way to revive the role of the Arab League in the stage of post-conflict recovery and development. "It was agreed to activate the mechanism of cooperation between the Arab League and the Sudanese government in regards to follow up the implementation of commitments and development projects in Darfur, said Amin after his encounter with Elaraby on Monday evening. He further said the Arab League will move to implement the commitments aiming to support the humanitarian work in the region. The regional body also pledged to committed itself to play a central role in the preparations of a donor conference for Darfur reconstruction scheduled to be held in Doha by the end of this year. The visiting minister disclosed that the AL Secretary General will pay a first visit to Darfur region soon to inspect the recent developments that took place in the region since the singing of the peace agreement. Sudan and the former rebel Liberation and Justice Movement headed by Tijani El Sissi signed the DDPD after two years of talks in Doha. Another rebel group participated at the peace process, Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) refused the framework agreement and asked to open it for further talks. JEM and two factions of the Sudan Liberation Movement together with the Sudan people’s Liberation Movement – North formed last November an alliance to bring down the Sudanese regime. There is no perspective for a new process as Khartoum says they can only join the DDPD.