Doha Mediation: LJM rebels and Sudan demanded modification to draft deal

The international mediators of the Darfur conflict, Ahmed Bin Abdullah Al-Mahmoud, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of the State of Qatar, and Djbrill Bassolé, the AU-UN Joint Chief Mediator for Darfur, issued the following statement on 21 March 2011:“On 22 February 2011, the Mediation submitted to the Parties synthesis and draft texts based on the outcomes of series of negotiations, talks and consultations, including with stakeholders, representatives of the larger civil society and the international partners.

“The Parties, i.e; the Government of Sudan, the Liberation and Justice Movement, and the Justice and Equality Movement, have all worked hard to consider these draft texts and have submitted their observations to the Mediation on all or some of the chapters that make up the texts.

“The Mediation welcomes this concrete progress made by the three Parties towards achieving a comprehensive peace agreement for Darfur. The Mediation therefore commends the Parties for their commitment and urges them to continue working towards the adoption of all the texts submitted to them in order to enable the Mediation to finalize the draft agreement and submit it to them for signature.

“Meanwhile, as a necessary and important element of the finalization phase, the Mediation will proceed to organise an all Darfur stakeholder’s conference on 18^th April 2011, in Doha, to enable the establishment of a broad base ownership for the outcomes, in order to achieve a final and comprehensive peace agreement for Darfur. The Conference will also provide an opportunity for the Mediation to seek international support for the implementation of the provisions of the final agreement.”