Arab countries agree on aid projects for Darfur

The Arab Organization for Agricultural Development agreed to finance seven different projects in Darfur. The plan was agreed to during the 10th Joint Mechanism to follow up on implementation of Arab nations’ pledges for Darfur.After the meeting held in Khartoum last Thursday, Ambassador Salah Halima, the representative of the Arab League in Khartoum, said that the projects that have been identified will be implemented within 16 months, with implementation to begin immediately. Suleiman Abdelrahman, the government’s Commissioner of Humanitarian Aid, said that the Arabs pledges’ include US $48 million for schools, water projects, health centres and 25 model villages.

Minni Arko Minawi, the former top aide to the Sudanese president, described these plans for projects as propoganda. He said that the model villages that the Arab League established in Darfur do not actually exist. He commented on Radio Dabanga that he himself visited these sites to investigate, but he did not find any ‘model villages.’ Minawi accused the Arab League of financing the National Congress Party in the name of Darfur. He further accused the ministry of humanitarian affairs of corruption and squandering of funds.

For his part, the President the Darfur Reconstruction Fund, Dr. Mohamed Tayeb Tidjani, revealed that the government received $760 million on behalf of Darfur from donors and institutions in Islamic and Arabic countries during the past two years, which the government deposited it in the Omdurman National Bank under the account name ‘Darfur Support Committee.’ Dr. Tayeb said it is not known who runs this account nor which projects, if any, are financed from the account. Tidjani called on the people of Darfur to search for the funds received by the government in the name of Darfur, and to disburse the funds to projects that are awaiting funding.