EU pledges €27.5 million for Darfur in Doha conference

08/04/2013 18:40

Amid the two-day conference to raise funds for development and reconstruction projects in Darfur, the European Union announced it is pledging €27.5 million to “support people’s access to basic services”. European Development Commissioner Andris Piebalgs, in a press statement released on Monday, said basic services include education and health, adding water management and agriculture projects would also benefit from the undertaking. “The EU is firmly committed to bringing durable peace to the people of Darfur. However, we remain deeply concerned about the slow implementation of the DDPD, rising insecurity in parts of Darfur and restrictions on access for aid. We hope that all parties to the conflict will take this opportunity to choose political dialogue over armed confrontation”, Piebalgs said. The conference is part of the agenda of the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur (DDPD), an agreement signed in July 2011 between the Government of Sudan and the Liberation and Justice Movement (LJM) to promote the peace process in Darfur. Since 2010, the EU has allocated €60 million from the European Development Fund to the people of Sudan to increase their access to basic services such as education and health and improve the livelihoods of the rural population, as well as €15 million with a special focus on food security. Out of this total allocation, the people of Darfur have benefited from €16 million, the statement read. The EU is a member of the International Follow-Up Committee, set up to assess the progress made so far in the provisions of the DDPD. Despite some progress, the EU pointed out that “there are still insufficient advancements in the peace process such as the financial commitments made by the Government of Sudan. The DDPD foresees the transfer to the Darfur Regional Authority of €1.5 billion over two years since the signature of the document in 2011: but so far only 10% of that amount has been transferred.” In the press release, Commissioner Piebalgs said: “We call on the Sudanese government and all parties involved to sustain their efforts to improve the environment in which aid workers operate and fully implement the DDPD to enable a new momentum on development.”Photo: European Development Commissioner Andris Piebalgs (EU)Related:Donor conference commences in Doha (8 April 2013)Protests against Doha donor conference continue in Darfur (8 April 2013)

Amid the two-day conference to raise funds for development and reconstruction projects in Darfur, the European Union announced it is pledging €27.5 million to “support people’s access to basic services”.

European Development Commissioner Andris Piebalgs, in a press statement released on Monday, said basic services include education and health, adding water management and agriculture projects would also benefit from the undertaking.

“The EU is firmly committed to bringing durable peace to the people of Darfur. However, we remain deeply concerned about the slow implementation of the DDPD, rising insecurity in parts of Darfur and restrictions on access for aid. We hope that all parties to the conflict will take this opportunity to choose political dialogue over armed confrontation”, Piebalgs said.

The conference is part of the agenda of the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur (DDPD), an agreement signed in July 2011 between the Government of Sudan and the Liberation and Justice Movement (LJM) to promote the peace process in Darfur.

Since 2010, the EU has allocated €60 million from the European Development Fund to the people of Sudan to increase their access to basic services such as education and health and improve the livelihoods of the rural population, as well as €15 million with a special focus on food security. Out of this total allocation, the people of Darfur have benefited from €16 million, the statement read.

The EU is a member of the International Follow-Up Committee, set up to assess the progress made so far in the provisions of the DDPD.

Despite some progress, the EU pointed out that “there are still insufficient advancements in the peace process such as the financial commitments made by the Government of Sudan. The DDPD foresees the transfer to the Darfur Regional Authority of €1.5 billion over two years since the signature of the document in 2011: but so far only 10% of that amount has been transferred.”

In the press release, Commissioner Piebalgs said: “We call on the Sudanese government and all parties involved to sustain their efforts to improve the environment in which aid workers operate and fully implement the DDPD to enable a new momentum on development.”

Photo: European Development Commissioner Andris Piebalgs (EU)

Related:

Donor conference commences in Doha (8 April 2013)

Protests against Doha donor conference continue in Darfur (8 April 2013)