$3.7 billion raised for Darfur projects in Doha donors summit

Donor countries that took part in the summit for the reconstruction and development of Darfur pledged almost $3.7 billion for projects in the region. The conference was held in Doha on 7 and 8 April. Ahmed bin Abdullah Al Mahmoud Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for the Council of Ministers affairs of Qatar made the announcement during his speech in the summit’s closing session. Out of the exact $3.696.659.100 raised in the summit, Qatar contributed with $500 million, the deputy prime minister said. The figure includes the $2.6 billion the Sudanese government still needs to allocate. In his speech, Al Mahmoud called upon Khartoum to fulfill its obligation to allocate funds to Darfur, as stated in the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur (DDPD), of which the donors’ conference is part. The government of Sudan must commit to provide legal, logistical, procedural, and security facilities to ensure that development partners are free to move and realize the strategy of the DDPD implementation follow-up office, the prime minister said. These partners, he said, comprise national and international organizations.   Al Mahmoud recommended that projects are implemented through a transparent and accountable mechanism, with competence and flexibility to manage its funds. The development strategy for the region has been adopted by the Administrative Council for Reconstruction Management of Darfur, headed by Qatar. Its members include the Sudanese government, the Darfur Regional Authority (DRA), the UN, donor countries and development partners. Qatar will chair it for another year and Al Mahmoud recommended the Council to follow-up on the pledges raised during the conference and ensure the $7.245 billion deemed necessary for the reconstruction of Darfur is reached within two years. He also noted his country has already donated $2 billion to the Darfur Development Bank and added that a financial administrative council would meet on Monday to discuss ways to start implementing projects in Darfur shortly.   According to the minister, Qatar has decided to allocate an extra $88.500 million to Sudan to support the implementation of short-term projects. He disclosed the country is working on arranging an investment conference for Darfur. Dr. Tijani Sese For his part, Dr. Tijani Sese, chairman of the DRA, said the conference was “successful by 150%” as it was “strongly endorsed by political supporters”. He admitted not expecting it to have such a favorable outcome.   Dr. Tijani Sese is also head of the LJM, a rebel group from Darfur that signed the DDPD with the Sudanese government in 2011. DRA was created within the framework of the peace treaty and it is tasked with implementing the agreement. It comprises former rebel fighters as some of its members and Sese was appointed as the chairman.  JEM The vice-president of the non-signatory rebel group Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) told Radio Dabanga they are not against raising funds from donors for the development of Darfur. Dr. Jibril Ibrahim Mohamed said his movement is against the summit at this moment because the resources will “undoubtedly” be used by the ruling party to purchase weapons and continue with the genocide, airstrikes and killings of civilians in Darfur and now too in South Kordofan and Blue Nile.“Instead of the Sudanese government, Qatar is speaking about the situation in Darfur. It alleges the security in the region is stable and that there is complete peace, something not even the government dares saying”, JEM spokesman said. He suggested the conference should be delayed until the government of Sudan is rightfully representing its people and funds are used for what they were pledged: “for the befit of citizens”. He claimed the solution to the problems of Sudan is to topple the regime of Khartoum. Follow Qatar’s donation, Mohamed accused the country of supporting the conflicts in Sudan by paying exorbitant amounts of money to split Darfur’s movements and stimulating others to sign treaties with the government. In October 2012, a breakaway faction of JEM headed by Mohamed Bashar Ahmed indicated its intention to join the DDPD. The final accord was signed during the donors’ conference and the movement was assigned positions within different state and federal levels. JEM says not having any links with JEM-Bashar.Photo: 7 April 2013, Doha: Left to right, Representative of the UN Secretary General in Sudan, Ali Al-Zatari, Secretary General of Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, Ekmeleddin Ishanoglu, Qatari Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ahmed bin Abdullah Al Mahmoud, First Vice-President of Sudan, Ali Osman Mohammed Taha, Prime Minister of Qatar, Hamad Bin Jassim Bin Jabr Al-Tahni, Chairman of the Darfur Regional Authority, Eltigani Seisi Mohammed Attem, Deputy Prime Minister of Turkey, Bekir Bozdağ, Secretary General of League of Arab States, Nabil Al-Arabi, and UNAMID Joint Special Representative, Mohammed bin Chambas, at the opening ceremony of the International Donors Conference for Reconstruction and Development in Darfur, in Ritz Hotel in Doha, Qatar (Albert González Farran/ UNAMID)Related:EU pledges €27.5 million for Darfur in Doha conference (8 April 2013)Protests against Doha donor conference continue in Darfur (8 April 2013)UN: donors to fill gap of $4.6 billion for Darfur in Doha summit (3 April 2013)Darfur’s JEM-Bashar assigned positions in Sudan government (1 April 2013)