Khartoum, Sudan - The United Nations/African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) and the UN Country Team (UNCT) have welcomed a recent ceasefire agreement signed by the Sudanese government and Darfur’s Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) Sudan, describing it as “a significant step” towards a comprehensive peace agreement for Darfur.
A UNAMID statement received by PANA in Khartoum Thursday said the UNCT and UNAMID held a meeting Tuesday in Al Fashir, Capital of North Darfur State, to discuss, among other things, strengthening of mechanisms in protecting civilians and joint initiatives in supporting the implementation of the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur (DDPD).
It said the meeting was co-chaired by UNAMID Acting Joint Special Representative and Joint Chief Mediator, Aichatou Mindaoudou, and UN Resident Coordinator and UN Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative in Sudan Ali Al-Za’tari.
“The meeting welcomed the recent temporary ceasefire agreement between the Government of Sudan and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) Sudan, within the framework of the DDPD, as a significant step towards a comprehensive peace agreement for Darfur,” it said.
It said the parties acknowledged the progress made by the UNCT-UNAMID Joint Working Groups in support of the DDPD, and announced the endorsement of three key projects focusing on livelihood and water supply, capacity building support to the Voluntary Returnees Commission, and support to the permanent ceasefire.
The statement said the implementation of the protection of civilian’s strategy and humanitarian access to Darfur by the UNCT and Sudan’s international partners was revisited and “it was agreed to develop a humanitarian access mechanism for Darfur, including a larger UNCT-UNAMID presence in the deep field.“
Pana 20/02/2013