FRESH ROUND OF UN-BACKED DARFUR PEACE TALKS TO START NEXT MONTH

United Nations-backed mediation talks aimed at resolving the long-running conflict in Darfur between the Sudanese Government and the region's armed movements will resume late next month, it was announced today.

The talks will not start until the last week of October, given the time needed for the many armed movements to complete discussions on their possible unification for the peace process, according to a communiqué issued by the joint African Union-UN peacekeeping force in Darfur (known as UNAMID).

Today's communiqué follows consultations in Doha, between Djibril Bassolé, the AU-UN Joint Chief Mediator for Darfur, and Ahmed Bin Abdullah Al-Mahmoud, the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs in Qatar, which has been sponsoring the mediation efforts.

Mr. Bassolé and Mr. Al-Mahmoud have invited the armed movements to take part in a capacity-building workshop in Doha in early October so they can discuss issues related to the peace process, including how to improve security for Darfur's inhabitants and how to boost socio-economic development in the region.

Mr. Bassolé and Mr. Al-Mahmoud have also agreed to organize a civil society forum in Doha before the start of final peace talks to allow the many Darfurian communities to discuss peace and reconciliation efforts.

Fighting has raged across the western Sudanese region since 2003, pitting the rebel movements against Government forces and allied Janjaweed militiamen. All sides stand accused of human rights abuses and an estimated 300,000 people have been killed in Darfur over the past six years and another 2.7 million people forced to leave their homes.

The efforts of mediators have been hampered by the fragmentation of the rebel movements into many different, smaller groups, making it harder for them to adopt a unified position during any negotiations.

In February, representatives of the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) signed the Doha Goodwill Agreement with the Sudanese Government in an initial step designed to build momentum towards an enduring peace pact.

Today Mr. Bassolé and Mr. Al-Mahmoud welcomed recent initiatives in Libya and by the United States envoy, General Scott Gration, to try to unify the armed movements, and voiced hope that they would lead to greater cohesion among the rebels.

Meanwhile, the outgoing head of UNAMID has urged all Darfurians to come together to resolve the conflict in their region.

In an open letter to the people of Darfur, Rodolphe Adada, who is stepping down as the AU-UN Joint Special Representative, said he remained convinced that "our collective efforts will bear fruit in the near future and the situation in Darfur will gradually evolve from armed conflict to cessation of hostilities to achievement of peace and finally reach the realm of sustainable development."

AFRICAN UNION-UN FORCE HOSTS ROUND-TABLE TALKS ON DARFUR PEACE PROCESS

The joint African Union-United Nations peacekeeping operation in Darfur (UNAMID) convened a round-table discussion with the signatories to the 2006 pact that aims to bring peace to the Sudanese region.

In yesterday's talks, Rodolphe Adada, the Joint AU-UN Special Representative and head of the mission, urged all parties to support the ongoing peace process "because that is the only way to go in order to give a new lease of life to the [Darfur Peace Agreement] and, by extension, to the people of Darfur."

Some 300,000 people have been killed and an estimated 2.7 million others displaced from their homes in Darfur since fighting erupted in 2003, pitting Government forces and allied Janjaweed militiamen against rebel groups.

Mr. Adada yesterday hailed the signatories and participants of the Darfur Peace Agreement for their commitment to dialogue, peace, reconciliation and development since the pact was signed in 2006 between the Government of Sudan and rebel groups in Abuja, Nigeria.

"Those who embraced peace deserve to reap its dividends," he said.

The pact, he said, paved the way for the deployment of UNAMID, which has achieved success in protecting civilians and supporting aid agencies as they deliver humanitarian assistance, among others.

Participants, including representatives from the Government and groups such as the SLM Free Will and Popular Forces for Rights and Democracy, agreed that while progress has been made, more remains to be done in implementing the pact. They also called on the international community to play a more active role.
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JOINT AFRICAN UNION-UN ENVOY DISCUSSES BETTER SECURITY WITH DARFUR’S DISPLACED

The head of the joint African Union-United Nations peacekeeping mission in Darfur met today with leaders of a camp housing some of the region's displaced to discuss improved security measures following the killing of a camp leader and his wife earlier this week.

The mission, known as UNAMID, has been monitoring the situation in the Abu Shouk camp for internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the wake of the murders of Chief Umda Saroukh and his wife, who were shot by unknown armed men at their house near El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur.

Rodolphe Adada, the Joint AU-UN Special Representative and head of UNAMID, noted that the mission had prioritized community policing on its agenda and the camp's residents needed to extend meaningful cooperation in the form of a joint approach to security and exchange of information inside the camp.

He urged unity among the leaders, stressing that their needs, challenges, concerns and interests were the same as those of the general population in the camps.

"UNAMID could only work well with a coherent and united team of leaders," he told the leaders.

Mr. Adada added that UNAMID was not in Darfur to replace the Sudanese Government, but to work with it to improve the safety and security of all Darfurians, especially the displaced.

An estimated 2.6 million people have been displaced in Darfur since fighting began in 2003, pitting Government forces and allied Janjaweed militiamen against rebel groups, and as many as 4.7 million people have been left totally dependent on humanitarian aid.

While expressing gratitude to UNAMID for its services to the IDP community, including education, the Umdas voiced their concern about their own protection and ongoing criminal activities in the camp, among other issues.

They also raised concerns that UNAMID's mandate did not extend to executive policing powers of arrest and detention. Further, the leaders requested that UN patrols work closely with them in deploying patrol vehicles to problematic areas in the camp.

The Umdas and UNAMID Police will further explore proposals put forward at today's meeting.

Meanwhile, the mission announced that the first batch of the Ethiopian Infantry Battalion comprising 151 personnel arrived today in Darfur, and another 151 are scheduled to follow tomorrow.

The remaining members of the infantry battalion – totalling some 800 soldiers – are expected to be deployed in September or October, helping UNAMID to advance toward its goal of 97 per cent deployment by the end of this year.

Established by the Security Council in 2007, the mission is expected to have a total of 19,555 military personnel at full deployment.

In a related development, the Joint Chief Mediator for Darfur, Djibril Bassolé, is in Tripoli, Libya, where he is meeting a number of Darfur rebel movements willing to engage in peace talks with the Sudanese Government.
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AFRICAN UNION-UN ENVOY CALLS FOR END TO CLASHES ALONG CHAD-SUDAN BORDER

AFRICAN UNION-UN ENVOY CALLS FOR END TO CLASHES ALONG CHAD-SUDAN BORDER
New York, May 20 2009 12:00PM
The joint African Union-United Nations envoy to the war-torn Sudanese region of Darfur today called for an end to fighting near the Chad-Sudan border and for the two nations to rein in mounting tensions.

In a press release issued in El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, AU-UN Joint Special Representative Rodolphe Adada urged the Governments of the neighbouring nations to "refrain from any act that may lead to a further escalation of tensions, which could exacerbate the suffering of Darfur's civilians, particularly the many internally displaced persons (IDPs) and refugees in the region."

He urged Chad and Sudan to adhere to pacts they have signed, especially the 3 May Doha Agreement, facilitated by Qatar and Libya.

Reiterating what he told the Security Council last month, Mr. Adada stressed that "the poor state of relations between Chad and Sudan constitutes one of the biggest threats to efforts to secure lasting peace for the people of Darfur."

He also echoed Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's <"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/sgstats.asp?nid=3863">statement from earlier this week that there is no military solution to the conflict in Darfur and the problems between Chad, Sudan and opposition groups in both countries.

"Dialogue is the only way forward," the Representative emphasized.
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AFRICAN UNION-UN ENVOY AND SUDANESE OFFICIAL DISCUSS RECENT FIGHTING IN DARFUR

AFRICAN UNION-UN ENVOY AND SUDANESE OFFICIAL DISCUSS RECENT FIGHTING IN DARFUR
New York, May 19 2009 5:00PM
The joint African Union-United Nations envoy to Darfur met with a senior Sudanese official today to discuss recent fighting in the strife-torn region and rising tensions between Sudan and Chad, a spokesperson for the world body said.

Marie Okabe told reporters in New York that the AU-UN Joint Special Representative, Rodolphe Adada, met with Minni Minawi, a former rebel who is now the Senior Assistant to the Sudanese President.

"They discussed the latest developments in Darfur, particularly the recent fighting between the Minawi faction of the Sudan Liberation Army (SLA/MM) and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM). They also discussed rising tensions between Chad and Sudan," Ms. Okabe said.

Fighting between the two groups flared up some ten days ago in the north Darfur town of Umm Baru. Mr. Adada said the AU-UN peacekeeping mission, known as <"http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/missions/unamid/">UNAMID, had taken 26 people injured in the fighting to the North Darfur capital of El Fasher for treatment at a military hospital.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon yesterday voiced his concern at recent violence and tensions in the border area between Chad and Sudan and called on all parties to cease fighting.

"He underscores that there is no military solution to the situation in the sub-region and urges the Governments of Chad and Sudan to refrain from any act that may lead to a further escalation of tensions," his spokesperson said in a statement.

Last week Mr. Adada met with the Under-Secretary of the Sudanese Foreign Affairs Ministry, Mutrif Siddiq, and Presidential Adviser, Mustafa Osman Ismail, during separate meetings in Khartoum.

In a briefing to the Security Council in April, Mr. Adada estimated that around 2,000 civilians have been in killed in Darfur since UNAMID deployed last year.

Some 15 peacekeepers have also lost their lives since the Security Council established UNAMID to protect civilians in Darfur, where an estimated 300,000 people have been killed and another 2.7 million forced from their homes in more than five years of fighting, pitting rebels against Government forces and allied Janjaweed militiamen.

Ms. Okabe said that in the past 24 hours, the military component of UNAMID conducted 72 confidence-building patrols, escorts, night patrols and investigative patrols in and around villages and camps for internally displaced persons.
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UN-AFRICAN UNION MISSION CHIEF MEETS WITH SENIOR DARFUR OFFICIAL

The humanitarian situation was among the issues discussed in a meeting today between the head of the United Nations-African Union (AU) peacekeeping mission in Darfur (UNAMID) and a top official in the war-torn region of western Sudan.

UN-AU Joint Special Representative Rodolphe Adada met with Minni Minawi, a former rebel who currently serves as both Chairman of the Transitional Darfur Regional Authority (TDRA) and Special Assistant to President Omar Al-Bashir.

Mr. Adada and Mr. Minawi also conferred on bolstering security and development, as well as the role UNAMID can play in supporting Darfurians through more Quick Impact Projects (QIPs).

In addition, they discussed the need for closer contact between the mission and the TDRA.

UNAMID was established by the Security Council to protect civilians in Darfur, where an estimated 300,000 people have been killed and another 2.7 million have been forced from their homes since fighting erupted in 2003, pitting rebels against Government forces and allied Janjaweed militiamen.
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UN CONDEMNS FATAL AMBUSH OF DARFUR PEACEKEEPERS

UN CONDEMNS FATAL AMBUSH OF DARFUR PEACEKEEPERS
New York, Mar 17 2009 2:00PM

The African Union-United Nations Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) condemned an ambush earlier today that led to the death of one blue helmet, the second such attack on peacekeepers in the strife-torn region of Sudan in a week.

"UNAMID strongly condemns these cowardly acts of violence against its peacekeepers and calls on all parties including the Government of Sudan to ensure the safety of UN personnel in the region," a UN spokesperson said in New York.

Approximately eight unknown gunmen opened fire on an escort patrol that was returning to its base in Nyala, South Darfur, wounding one peacekeeper as the blue helmets returned fire in self-defence, spokesperson Marie Okabe said.

The wounded soldier was immediately taken for medical treatment at the mission's hospital in Nyala and later died while being evacuated to Al Fasher for further medical treatment, according to UNAMID.

"These ongoing attacks against UNAMID peacekeepers will not dissuade us from pursuing our mandate in Darfur," AU-UN Joint Representative Rodolphe Adada said.

This is the second time in just over a week that UNAMID peacekeepers have been ambushed by unknown armed men while conducting their duties in Darfur, as concerns mount over the safety of humanitarian workers, many of whom have been ordered to leave the region following the recent indictment of Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Darfur.

On 9 March four peacekeepers were shot and wounded in a patrol that was returning to its base in El Geneina, West Darfur, and, following that incident, a UN spokesperson said that the number of attacks against peacekeeping personnel and incidents of banditry in 2009 to that date had exceeded those for the entirety of 2008.

On the humanitarian front, the Secretary-General is continuing to make telephone calls to leaders in Africa and the Middle East to address the humanitarian situation in Darfur, according to Deputy Spokesperson Okabe.

Sudan decided to begin ejecting 13 non-governmental organizations (NGOs) on 4 March, immediately after the ICC issued an arrest warrant for President Al-Bashir.

An estimated 300,000 people have died and another 3 million have been displaced in the western region of Sudan, where rebels have been fighting Government forces and allied Arab militiamen, known as the Janjaweed, since 2003.
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SUDAN: UN WELCOMES RELEASE OF ABDUCTED RELIEF WORKERS IN DARFUR

SUDAN: UN WELCOMES RELEASE OF ABDUCTED RELIEF WORKERS IN DARFUR
New York, Mar 15 2009 1:00PM

The joint United Nations-African Union (AU) peacekeeping mission to Darfur (UNAMID) has welcomed the safe release of four aid workers who had been abducted at gunpoint three days ago.

The staff members -- three international and one Sudanese national -- of the non-governmental organization (NGO) Médecins Sans Frontières-Belgium arrived last night by Government helicopter at El Fasher Aiport. They appeared to be in good condition and the three international aid workers have since departed for the Sudanese capital Khartoum.

They had been taken at gunpoint from their office in the town of Saraf Omra on 11 March. One other Sudanese staff member abducted at the same time had been freed earlier.

One of those released yesterday, Mauro d'Ascanio, an Italian doctor, said he was fine and that he looks forward to speaking with his family.

The other staff have been identified as Laura Archer, a
Canadian nurse Raphaël Meunier, a French coordinator and Sharif Mohamadin, a Sudanese watchman.

"We are very happy. This is a very good thing -- we were really concerned about this," said AU-UN Joint Special Representative Rodolphe Adada.

Mohammed Osman Kibir, the Wali, or governor, of North Darfur state, said he personally intervened by negotiating with the abductors over the telephone four times. He flew with a Government team to pick up the four aid workers.

While the identities of the abductors have not been made clear, they did inform the Wali that their actions were in response to the decision earlier this month by the International Criminal Court (ICC) to issue an arrest warrant for Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir last week for alleged crimes committed in the region.

Mr. Kibir said he was able to convince the gunmen that the abduction of the relief workers reflected badly on their country and that it was in Sudan's best interest to release them, with no ransom being paid either by the Government or by the NGO.

He added that authorities would be boosting security measures to ensure the safety of aid workers and other international staff operating in the war-torn Darfur region.

Immediately after the ICC announced the indictment of Mr. Al-Bashir, the Government ordered the expulsion of 13 aid groups which assist nearly 5 million people in Darfur, and the UN has continued to press authorities to reverse the expulsions.

An estimated 300,000 people have died, either through direct combat or because of disease, malnutrition or reduced life expectancy, over the past five years in the region, where rebels have been fighting Government forces and allied Arab militiamen, known as the Janjaweed, since 2003.

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