Dipo Olowookere
By Dipo Olowookere
The African Union-United Nations Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) has welcomed the unilateral six-month cessation of hostilities jointly declared by, among others, the Sudan Liberation Army-Minni Minnawi (SLA-MM) and the Justice and Equality Movement-Gibril (JEM-Gibril), which entered into effect on 31 October 2016.
UNAMID also noted and hailed the earlier announcement by President Omar Al Bashir on 10 October of a unilateral cessation of hostilities till the end of this year.
Although mindful of existing challenges, UNAMID said it acknowledges the positive opportunity such a cessation of hostilities offers.
The body said it is hoped that such gestures would encourage all parties to the conflict to commit to a negotiated solution, including through the signing of the cessation of hostilities document presented to the parties by the African Union High Level Implementation Panel (AUHIP) and in line with the Roadmap Agreement.
UNAMID’s Joint Special Representative, Martin Uhomoibhi, commended the declaration and used the opportunity to, once again, call upon Abdul Wahid El Nur, leader of the Sudan Liberation Army- Abdul Wahid (SLA-AW), “to make a similar declaration to signal a genuine intent that peace is a strategic choice for him and his movement.”
“Each other party to the conflict has made gestures to indicate willingness to engage in peace; now is the time for Mr. El Nur to make such a gesture,” JSR Uhomoibhi added.
In this regard, the Joint Special Representative reiterated UNAMID’s commitment to continuing to work for the achievement of its mandate to protect civilians in Darfur and creating a conducive environment for sustainable peace in the region.
