Sudan and Darfur Breakaway Group Sign Ceasefire Agreement

Khartoum — Sudanese government and a splinter group of the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) on Sunday signed a cease-fire agreement in Doha before to engage political talks.

A rebel faction led by Mohamed Bashar signed on 24 January a framework agenda to negotiate a peace deal based on the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur (DDPD).

Speaking from Doha, Nahar Osman a political adviser of the rebel group told Sudan Tribune that the deal provides that the 90- day ceasefire fire shall enter into force on Sunday 11.55pm (local time).

“The agreement is renewable until the signing of a peace agreement,” he added.

The deal was signed by state minister and Sudanese government chief negotiator Amin Hassan Omer, and deputy chairman and rebel chief negotiator Arko Suleiman Dahia.

The signing ceremony was attended by Qatari state minister for cabinet affairs Ahmed bin Abdullah Al-Mahmoud, deputy joint chief mediator, Aichatou Mindaoudou Souleymane and UNAMID Force Commander, Patrick Nyamvumba who chairs the Cease Fire Commission (CFC).

Asked about the reasons that led to delay the signing of ceasefire agreement, Nahar who is a member of the rebel delegation said they were keen to study meticulously all the provisions of the agreement before to endorse it.

The truce had been previously expected to be signed on 7 February.

He said they are now ready to start talks on the power and wealth sharing, compensation and return of internally displaced persons and refugees, justice and reconciliation, and final security arrangements.

Asked whether a peace agreement will concluded before the donors conference, the rebel official said they understand that such a move will encourage donors to support the peace process but stressed that the issue “is not a headache” for them.

“We may sign tomorrow if the government take our demands seriously”, he further said.

Qatar will host a donors conference on 7 and 8 April where Darfur Regional Authority hopes to collect some 7 billion dollars for recovery and development projects. – Sudan Tribune

Posted by admin on Feb 18 2013. Filed under African News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry