Al Bashir extends Darfur Regional Authority mandate for one year

President Omar Al Bashir issued a Republican Decree on Sunday, extending the Darfur Regional Authority’s (DRA) term for another year, effective from 15 July.

Amin Hassan Omar, the head of the governmental Darfur Peace Follow-up Office told the press in Khartoum on Sunday that he will brief the sponsors of the 2011 Doha Document for Peace in Darfur (DDPD) and the International Committee for the Follow-Up of the Implementation of the DDPD about the extension.

He explained that the Presidential Decree was issued after consultation with the DDPD signatories to complete the processes stipulated in the agreement. It was agreed that the government will also sign protocols with breakaway rebel factions that joined the Doha Document later.

Omar stressed that there will be no other negotiation track with the main Darfuri rebel movements rejecting the DDPD. “Any negotiations round with them will take place in the Qatari capital and nowhere else.”

Last January, the contents of the Doha peace agreement were incorporated in the 2005 Interim Constitution. Dr El Tijani Sese, head of the DRA, commented at the time that with this step the Darfuri people’s demands have been fulfilled. He said that voluntary return and development projects would soon start in the war-torn western region.