CAIRO: The Arab League and the African Union-United Nations Mission in Darfur announced their plan to cooperate with the Sudanese government to implement a development project in Darfur on Tuesday in Cairo. The project will construct 12 model villages within 12 months, with each village assisting at least 25,000 returnees to Darfur and aims to be “a catalyst for rapid recovery and development” for the war-ravaged populations of Darfur. Ibrahim Gambari, the Joint Special Representative of the African Union and the United Nations Mission to Darfur outlined (UNAMID ) the initiative to the foreign press in Cairo. The plan includes efforts to establish basic infrastructure, social and humanitarian services and the creation of livelihood opportunities and support for the returning refugee communities. UNAMID and The Arab League in cooperation with INGOs, development organizations and countries such as Turkey and member states of the Organization of Islamic Countries will are also projected to work on this recovery project. The Arab League, UNAMID, and the government of Sudan are set to meet this October in Khartoum to discuss locations, timetables and other the technical preparations to oversee the implementation for the recovery project. This announcement of this model village plan is a follow-up to the signing of a peace document in Doha between the government of Sudan and the Liberation and Justice Movement, one of the rebel groups in Darfur on July 14. However, other main rebel groups such as Justice and Equality Movement and refrained from signing. Reports state that the Sudanese government has caused complications with aid to Darfur in the past. Yet, Gamabari insisted that the government of Sudan showed “statesmanship” with its acceptance of secession in the South and assured journalists that UNAMID and the Arab League will pressure the government of Sudan to act. Despite this new development the Sudanese government continues to be mired in conflicts across the country including Abyei and Southern Kordofan. Last week a report by Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch accused the government of Sudan human rights abuses in Southern Kordofan. Human Rights observers there said they witnessed government planes indiscriminately bombing civilians causing thousands to flee their homes. BM
