The seventh meeting of the Implementation Follow-up Commission of the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur (DDPD) was held on 16 December in El Fasher, North Darfur, to discuss progress and challenges in the implementation of the DDPD since the Commission’s last meeting in September this year.  In a press conference after the meeting, head of Unamid Dr Mohamed Ibn Chambas, noted that the signing of the agreement on 20 November by the Government of Sudan and the Liberation and Justice Movement (LJM) on the Final Security Arrangements was a step forward in the implementation of the DDPD. The agreement aimed at the integration of LJM combatants into the Sudan Armed Forces and the police. The head of Unamid also highlighted the 315 reconstruction and development projects that have started, in line with the Darfur Development Strategy. Ibn Chambas briefed on his efforts to bring the non-signatory movements to the negotiation table on the basis of the DDPD. He noted that at the technical workshop that took place recently organised in Addis Ababa, the movements reiterated their commitment to a negotiated political process to end the conflict, and expressed readiness for a humanitarian cessation of hostilities.  The Qatari Deputy Prime Minister noted that one of the factors that are delaying the implementation of the DDPD is the increased insecurity in Darfur following the surge in tribal conflicts in 2013.  The Deputy Prime Minister of the Qatar, Ahmed bin Abdallah El Mahmoud chaired the meeting, in which the Sudanese Minister of State Dr Amin Hassan Omer took part, as well as the chairperson of the Darfur Regional Authority (DRA), Dr Tigani Sese, representing the LJM and El Tom Suleiman Mohamed Arba, for the Justice and Equality Movement-Sudan (JEM-Sudan, also known as JEM-Bashar). Representatives of the AU, the EU, the League of Arab States, Canada, Chad, China, Egypt, France, Japan, the UK and the USA also attended the meeting.  File photo: The JEM splinter faction led by the late Mohamed Bashar signs the DDPD, 6 April 2013 (Albert Gonzalez Farran/Unamid) Related:Darfur rebel groups repeat stance on comprehensive peace (15 December 2013) Two major rebel groups attend Darfur peace forum in Addis Ababa (9 December 2013)