SUDAN NEWS ALERT: Bloomberg – One of Africa’s Longest Wars May Be Nearing End After Rebel Deal
Bloomberg’s report on the Juba peace agreement provides details of the deal and quotes from Abdallah Adam Khatir, a social studies professor at Zalingi University in central Darfur.
Under the deal, the insurgents and government troops will form a joint military force of 12,000 personnel within 90 days to protect Darfur’s civilians, leading to full integration within 40 months. Rebels are promised three posts in an expanded 14-seat Sovereign Council, a quarter of roles in cabinet, and a similar proportion of seats in the legislative assembly. Central government will also provide Darfur with $750 million a year in development funding.
However, Khatir says full enactment of the deal needs a buy-in from Darfur’s internally displaced people. “We want the peace building to be a bottom-up approach, not just through negotiations between elites,” while rebels who haven’t signed yet need to be encouraged to join, he said.