Deputy PM opens Darfur meeting

HE the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs Ahmed bin Abdullah bin Zaid al-Mahmoud chaired the fourth meeting of the Darfur Reconstruction and Development Council and the 12th meeting of the committee for follow-up implementation of Doha Document for Peace in Darfur, in Khartoum yesterday. He said that the State of Qatar, under the guidance of HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, has worked along with its partners on implementing and assessing reconstruction and development projects in Darfur. The meeting aims to review the progress that has been achieved in the implementation of Darfur reconstruction projects since the issuance of the decisions of the International Donor Conference for Reconstruction and Development in Darfur, in Doha in 2013. The meeting also explores the challenges facing the implementation and ways to overcome them in order to push forward the wheel of development in Darfur in light of the big gains that have been achieved thanks to the remarkable restoration of security throughout Darfur and the importance attached to human development in Darfur, he pointed out. He said that work over the past years focused on three pillars, namely to meet some of the humanitarian needs that have emerged following the adoption of the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur, to garner international support in the long-term, and not to wait until a comprehensive political settlement is achieved. “To this end, we did all that we can to begin the reconstruction and development projects in order to go hand in hand with the peaceful settlement efforts so that people can feel the difference between the horrors of war and the blessing of stability.” The State of Qatar began the implementation of food and reconstruction projects to encourage stability and voluntary return, he said, adding that this included the construction of five service complexes in five states with schools, health centres, water stations and police centres. Building on the success of these complexes, preparation is ongoing to implement 10 more service complexes at a cost of $70mn, he said. The construction will start immediately, he said, adding that Qatar has extended $50mn to support a programme to address problems facing nomadic people. Qatar has also allocated during the last period (phase I) $88.5mn equivalent to 50% of the UN Development Programme’s allocation to implement several projects in the fields of reconstruction, justice, reconciliation, economic recovery, health, education, water, roads, electricity supply using solar energy and voluntary return, he said, noting that the meeting will provide a detailed review on these projects. He called on Qatar’s partners in Darfur Peace to contribute by paying the remaining $88.9m of the total amount set by the Darfur Development Strategy, and to announce other contributions that show their commitment to support stability and development in Darfur.