The HD Centre is exploring the possibility of organising a Humanitarian Workshop in coordination with the African Union/United Nations mediation team, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the Government of Sudan and the Darfur opposition movements. This initiative aims to address government and opposition movements' responsibilities on humanitarian issues in Darfur, as well as discuss substantive humanitarian issues related to the negotiations.

 

The HD Centre's mediation expert, seconded to the AU/UN Joint Mediation Support Team at the end of 2007, is working closely with the AU/UN Special Envoys and the mediation team inside Darfur on an initiative which will bring the Darfur's opposition movements together for a discussion on security issues. The initiative will hopefully act as a catalyst for progress in the peace process.

In October 2007, the HD Centre was requested by the African Union and United Nations (AU/UN) to contribute to the  AU/UN Darfur Peace Process, to help solve the crisis in the region. Two HD Centre members of staff were seconded to the JMST to support the Darfur peace talks, in ensuring all discussions and agreements are consistent with humanitarian principles, as reflected in all relevant bodies (International Human Rights and Humanitarian Law, African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights), and in supporting mediation efforts, in particular on the issues related to Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA) non-signatory movements. Among other things, this included assisting the movements in the negotiation process, identifying key issues, building consensus on negotiation questions, as well as contributing to unite the movements' leadership.

In early 2007, the HD Centre received requests from Darfur opposition movements, donors, as well as the African Union and United Nations to re-engage in Darfur. Following this the HD Centre conducted field level assessments in March and April 2007 meeting with representatives of all opposition movements in Darfur, Chad and in Europe. The HD Centre also entered Darfur for further consultations with field based forces.

Based on these consultations, the HD Centre concluded that addressing the divisions within opposition movements was the logical priority. The HD Centre's work sought to establish coherent structures to enable the opposition movements to comprehensively participate in the political process and address humanitarian issues resulting from command and control difficulties.

The HD Centre traveled to Nigeria in October 2004 to participate in the second round of Abuja talks. In line with a request made by H.E. Dr. Algabid, the HD Centre provided negotiation support and technical assistance to the Sudan Liberation Movement/Army (SLM/A) and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) to facilitate their participation in the talks. Sessions on negotiations training and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) peace process in Southern Sudan were also organised for both delegations of Darfur opposition movements present in Abuja.

At the end of September 2004, the HD Centre worked closely with the Royal Norwegian Government to facilitate the participation of the Sudan Liberation Movement/Army (SLM/A) and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) leaderships at an extended Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) Partner Forum meeting in Oslo. One session of the meeting focused on the humanitarian situation in Darfur, the delivery of humanitarian assistance to the affected population, and its protection from the ongoing violence. A second session was devoted to post-conflict reconstruction in Sudan.

In August 2004, the HD Centre was invited by the African Union to attend and provide technical support to political talks on Darfur, convened and hosted by the President of Nigeria and African Union Chairman, Mr. Olusegun Obasanjo, in Abuja.

In mid July 2004, the African Union attempted to convene another meeting between the Government of Sudan (GoS) and the opposition movements in Addis Ababa for talks on the main political issues fueling the conflict. The talks collapsed because the opposition leaderships decided not to participate at the last minute, dealing a serious setback to the African Union-sponsored dialogue process.

At the request of H.E. Dr. Hamid Algabid, the African Union Special Envoy for Darfur, the HD Centre convened a meeting in Geneva on 22 July to bring together the new African Union Darfur Mediation Team - consisting of the African Union, the UN, the Government of Chad - and the Sudan Liberation Movement/Army (SLM/A) and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) leaderships, in an effort to facilitate the resumption of the peace talks.

This provided the first opportunity for the senior leadership of both sides to interact and engage in discussions on a variety of issues, including political dialogue. During the meeting, the Darfur opposition movements proposed Abuja, Nigeria as one of their choices for an alternate venue for the peace talks.

The African Union Darfur Mediation Team subsequently met with the GoS in Khartoum. Combined with growing pressure from the international community, these efforts proved successful and the GoS and the Darfur opposition movements agreed to meet in Abuja for talks on political issues from 23 August.

On 2-3 June 2004, the HD Centre arranged a series of meetings in Geneva between the leadership of the Sudan Liberation Movement/Army (SLM/A) and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), and representatives of the international NGO community focused on the urgent humanitarian issues of concern in Darfur.

Participants to the meetings included representatives of the International Rescue Committee, Care, Médecins Sans Frontières, Save the Children Fund-UK, World Vision, International Council of Voluntary Agencies, the Steering Committee for Humanitarian Response, Medair and Concern. Bilateral meetings were also organised by the HD Centre between the Darfur opposition movement leaderships and other international organisations.

On 3 June 2004, the HD Centre convened a formal consultation in Geneva on the humanitarian situation in Darfur involving the GoS and the SLM/A and JEM. Organised in co-ordination with the UN, the meeting brought together 80 members of the donor community representing 22 countries, including Mr. Andrew Natsios, the Director of USAID, Ms. Costanza Adinolfi, the Director of the Humanitarian Aid Office of the European Commission, Ms. Kerstin Mueller, State Minister in the German Foreign Office, Mr Tom Kitt, the Republic of Ireland´s Minister of State for Overseas Development and Human Rights, and from the UN, Mr. Jan Egeland, UN Under Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs.

While the international community met in several forums in Geneva the same day to discuss the funding requirements for Darfur, this meeting was the only occasion where all parties were present. It was the first opportunity for the international community to engage with opposition movements and hear first hand their commitment to humanitarian principles and operations.

The HD Centre was invited by the African Union to participate in a consultative technical meeting in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia from 19 to 21 April 2004 to discuss the modalities for the establishment and funding of the Ceasefire Commission for Darfur as called for in the 8 April 2004 agreement.

The meeting brought together the Government of Chad and the team of international facilitators for the N´djamena talks, including representatives of the European Union, European Commission, United States of America and the United Nations. The HD Centre, as part of the group of international facilitators, developed the proposals put forward by the African Union and assisted in the finalization of a concrete plan of future action.

On 27-28 May 2004, the HD Centre participated in a follow up meeting in Addis Ababa to finalize discussions on the Ceasefire Commission. The meeting brought together representatives of the GoS and the Sudan Liberation Movement/Army (SLM/A) and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), as well as the Government of Chad and the team of international facilitators from the previous rounds of talks.

The HD Centre worked closely with the African Union to facilitate travel for the SLM/A and JEM members to Ethiopia. The discussions concluded on 28 May with the signing of the Agreement with the Sudanese Parties on the Modalities for the Establishment of the Ceasefire Commission and the Deployment of Observers in Darfur.

In April 2004, the HD Centre, with representatives of the African Union, the United States of America, the European Union, the European Commission and the UN, acted as official international facilitators to the first formal talks between both Darfur opposition movements, the Sudan Liberation Movement/Army (SLM/A) and Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), and the Government of Sudan under the auspices of the Government of Chad, in N´djamena.

The HD Centre facilitated the arrival and participation of the SLM/A and JEM delegations in the negotiations. Working closely with the other international facilitators, it provided negotiation support to the Chadian chair. The HD Centre also provided the required technical, financial and logistical support to the Government of Chad to organise the talks.

Finally, the HD Centre, along with the other international facilitators, was witness to the signing by the Government of Sudan, the SLM/A, the JEM, the Government of Chad and the African Union, of the Humanitarian Ceasefire Agreement on the Conflict in Darfur and the supporting Protocol on the Establishment of Humanitarian Assistance in Darfur, on 8 April 2004 in N´djamena.

In February 2004, the HD Centre led the first serious international attempt to bring the Sudan Liberation Movement/Army (SLM/A) and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) and the Government of Sudan (GoS) to the negotiating table to review and discuss the humanitarian consequences of the conflict. The meeting was scheduled to take place in Geneva and to be hosted and chaired by the HD Centre. The talks were intended to focus on exploring ways to improve humanitarian access to the affected civilian population in Darfur and to ensure the security of civilians and humanitarian actors in the region. The talks ultimately failed to take place as the GoS withdrew its support at the last minute.

The HD Centre became involved in Darfur in western Sudan in April 2003 in an effort to help address the worsening humanitarian situation in the region. Throughout 2003 and early in 2004, the HD Centre made regular visits to Sudan to meet with and brief senior representatives of the Government of Sudan (GoS), including the Foreign Minister, Mr. Mustafa Osman Ismail, the Deputy Foreign Minister and other senior representatives about its initiative and its progress. At the same time, the HD Centre established and developed a strong relationship of confidence with the Sudan Liberation Movement/Army (SLM/A) and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) through visits to Darfur and Chad. Close contacts with key members of the international humanitarian and donor community were also developed and were maintained throughout.