UN urges Sudanese to fully implement peace deal agreed two years ago

Khartoum Sudan (PANA) - The United Nations has urged the government of Sudan and former rebel groups to speed up full implementation of an agreement signed two years ago on how to bring peace to restive regions of the Sudan.

In 2020, the UN, the African Union (AU) and the East African development block, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), sponsored a peace deal in Juba, South Sudan, between the Khartoum government and rebel groups mainly from Darfur and Blue Nile regions to end decades of active military engagements and to restore relative calm in those regions.

The agreement recognised five main region-related tracks to be implemented: the Darfur, Nuba mountain, Blue Nile, Eastern Sudan and central and northern Sudan tracks.

However, the government and rebels seem unhappy about the pace of implementing the provisions of the agreement, including formation of joint police and security forces to monitor security and formation of four bodies that would see to the reparation of those affected by the conflict and prevent a recurrence of the inter-communal fighting.

But the Special Representative of the UN Secretary–General, Volker Perthes, issued a statement recognising that some positive step was taken, namely the establishment of the Permanent Ceasefire Committee.

“I also welcome the training of the first batch of 1,700 troops from the armed movements that signed the Juba Peace Agreement to be integrated into the Joint Security Keeping Forces,” Perthes who heads the United Nations Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in Sudan (UNITAMS) said.

He complained, however, that this two-year anniversary was but another stark reminder that much remains to be done.

“There is an urgent need for the full implementation of the Juba Peace Agreement’s provisions including security arrangements and the swift deployment of the Joint Security Keeping Forces to ensure the protection of civilians, the establishment of relevant commissions such as the Commission for Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons, the Transitional Justice Commission, the Land and Hawakeer Commission, as well as other provisions on wealth and power sharing, nomads and reparations.”

The different parties to the agreement said lack of funding was the main inhibitive element for the implementation.

When the agreement was signed in 2020, the government in place was headed by former Prime Minister, Dr Abdullah Hamdouk, a popular figure with Western governments that promised to pump money into its implementation.

However, the process did not kick off for a whole year, followed by the military intervention that led to the sacking of the civilian-led cabinet after they complained of procrastination.

The Western governments suspended all assistance including those promised for the implementation of the Juba peace deal.

But Volker has a different opinion. He argued in his statement that “this is an agreement crafted by the Sudanese between Sudanese parties. Only they can implement it and bring peace to the nation. I urge the signatories to renew their efforts to this end.”

Another frustrating element of the Juba peace agreement, named after the capital of South Sudan, where it was reached, is that two main rebel movements leaders have remained away from the agreement. One is the Sudan Liberation Army from Darfur, the western most region of Sudan and the other, the Sudan liberation movement, is from the Nuba mountain, south west Sudan.

“I also call on the Sudan Liberation Army-Abdul Wahid al-Nur and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) - Abdul-Aziz al-Hilu faction to join peace processes towards achieving comprehensive and lasting peace everywhere in Sudan,” the UN official stressed.

But it is clear to observers that without Western and Gulf region assistance, mainly Qatari and UAE, the Darfur track would remain frozen as the country is currently facing huge economic challenges including losing 75% of its earnings with the separation of South Sudan in 2011.

It also is going without a government for almost the second year. The donors and partners who helped implement the 2005 peace deal that culminated in the separation of South Sudan, have now withheld their assistance, including the US.

They are saying they want to see a credible civilian cabinet in place and election that would bring a government chosen by the people.

Without these conditions, or at least majority of them being implemented, it is difficult to imagine the West releasing US$1 billion in assistance.

-0-PANA MO/MA 5Oct2022