PANAPRESS
Panafrican News Agency
Sudan: Partners launch initiative to strengthen peace, dialogue in Darfur
Khartoum, Sudan (PANA) - The European Union (EU), United Nations and their local partners have launched an initiative that seeks peace in Darfur through working from the grassroots.
The Delegation of the EU, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID) on Tuesday launched a project to “strengthen peace efforts and reconciliation through dialogue in Darfur”.
A joint press release received by PANA on Wednesday said the project, which was partially funded by the EU through a contribution of 800,000 euro, would utilize UNAMID’s political direction and UNDP’s operational assistance to support the Darfur Internal Dialogue and Consultations (DIDC) process, one of the main pillars of the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur (DDPD).
Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Tigani Seisi, Chairman, Darfur Regional Authority (DRA), a government body acting as an overall coordinator among the states of Darfur, was quoted as saying that the “the ongoing conflict needs to be addressed at the grassroots level”.
He described the DIDC as “an instrument for inclusive debate and consultations to mend social relations and take Darfur back to cohesiveness”.
Ambassador Tomas Ulicny, Head of the Delegation of the European Union, expressed his hope that the Darfur dialogue process would provide a forum for the people of Darfur to come together, build trust and participate actively in the peace process.
UNAMID’s Deputy Joint Special Representative (Political), Kingsley Mamabolo, has meanwhile emphasized the importance of the latest funding contribution from the EU and appealed to the international community and donors for support to complete the DIDC process, calling it a “unique process that has great potential to consolidate peace and stability in Darfur through consultation and dialogue”.
Addressing the gathering, Dr. Selva Ramachandran, Country Director, UNDP, thanked the EU for its contribution to the DIDC process.
“This contribution comes at a crucial time as it will enable the DIDC process to continue enhancing peace and stability in Darfur,” he stated, while reiterating UNDP’s consistent efforts to work with national and international partners to promote stability and development across Sudan.
The Sudanese Government contributed 6.44 million Sudanese pounds (about US$1 million) to the process in March, as part of its US$2 million dollar pledge, while Qatar, through its backing and material support to the 2005 Doha peace accord, is acting as the overall supervisor of the project.
The press release said that “the overarching objective of the DIDC is to consolidate peace in Darfur by promoting confidence-building and encouraging reconciliation, as well as unity, among the people of Darfur and Sudan”.
-0- PANA MO/MA 3Aug2016
The Delegation of the EU, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID) on Tuesday launched a project to “strengthen peace efforts and reconciliation through dialogue in Darfur”.
A joint press release received by PANA on Wednesday said the project, which was partially funded by the EU through a contribution of 800,000 euro, would utilize UNAMID’s political direction and UNDP’s operational assistance to support the Darfur Internal Dialogue and Consultations (DIDC) process, one of the main pillars of the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur (DDPD).
Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Tigani Seisi, Chairman, Darfur Regional Authority (DRA), a government body acting as an overall coordinator among the states of Darfur, was quoted as saying that the “the ongoing conflict needs to be addressed at the grassroots level”.
He described the DIDC as “an instrument for inclusive debate and consultations to mend social relations and take Darfur back to cohesiveness”.
Ambassador Tomas Ulicny, Head of the Delegation of the European Union, expressed his hope that the Darfur dialogue process would provide a forum for the people of Darfur to come together, build trust and participate actively in the peace process.
UNAMID’s Deputy Joint Special Representative (Political), Kingsley Mamabolo, has meanwhile emphasized the importance of the latest funding contribution from the EU and appealed to the international community and donors for support to complete the DIDC process, calling it a “unique process that has great potential to consolidate peace and stability in Darfur through consultation and dialogue”.
Addressing the gathering, Dr. Selva Ramachandran, Country Director, UNDP, thanked the EU for its contribution to the DIDC process.
“This contribution comes at a crucial time as it will enable the DIDC process to continue enhancing peace and stability in Darfur,” he stated, while reiterating UNDP’s consistent efforts to work with national and international partners to promote stability and development across Sudan.
The Sudanese Government contributed 6.44 million Sudanese pounds (about US$1 million) to the process in March, as part of its US$2 million dollar pledge, while Qatar, through its backing and material support to the 2005 Doha peace accord, is acting as the overall supervisor of the project.
The press release said that “the overarching objective of the DIDC is to consolidate peace in Darfur by promoting confidence-building and encouraging reconciliation, as well as unity, among the people of Darfur and Sudan”.
-0- PANA MO/MA 3Aug2016
