Joint UN, African Union mediator hails pact between government, rebels in Sudan

Source: Xinhua | 02-19-2009 13:30

UNITED NATIONS, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- The Joint African Union-United Nations Chief Mediator Djibrill Yipene Bassole on Wednesday congratulated the Sudanese government and a key rebel group for making progress in bringing peace to the war-ravaged Darfur region.

Bassole said in a statement that "it is essential that both parties respect and implement the agreement to thereby create propitious conditions for a peaceful and rapid resolution of this conflict."

Representatives of the Sudanese government and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) on Tuesday signed in a meeting the Agreement of Good Will and Confidence Building for the Settlement of the Problem in Darfur in Doha, Qatar.

Bassole said that inclusive dialogue was essential for a durable peace, adding that he would continue his talks with all parties to ensure broad participation in ending hostilities.

More than six years of fighting between the government, allied militia and rebel groups have led to over 300,000 deaths and uprooted over 2.7 million people in Darfur.

The joint chief mediator also called on Qatar and regional partners to contribute humanitarian relief in the short-term as well as to the reconstruction of the region once a peace pact has been reached.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon also welcomed the agreement, calling it a "constructive step in the ongoing efforts to negotiate a peaceful conclusion to this long-running conflict."

Editor:Zhang Pengfei