Government of Sudan, UN and International Community agree on reintegration
programme for ex combatants and call for donor support

Geneva, 25 June: Representatives of the Government of National Unity of Sudan, the Government of Southern Sudan and United Nations Development Programme, signed today an agreement on the Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR) programme for Sudan which was witnessed by the Government of Japan. The signing took place at a donor conference held in Geneva, where donors reiterated their full support to the Sudan DDR programme, requiring US$430 million over a four-year period.

The programme will support the reintegration of up to 180,000 ex-combatants and associated members to civilian life. Assistance will be provided for support of social, economic, and psychological reintegration to ex-combatants with specific attention to women, children and disabled. In addition, it will enhance the capacity of Government institutions to ensure sustainable reintegration of ex-combatants in the longer term.

The DDR programme forms a critical part of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) for Sudan, and agreement on the reintegration component signifies important progress between the two signatories to the CPA. Mobilizing funds for this reintegration component prior to the start of national DDR throughout Sudan is key to ensuring that the disarmament and demobilization of former combatants will be sustainable and will contribute to a secure, stable and peaceful Sudan.

“We recognise the importance of beginning a credible and transparent DDR programme in Sudan, and welcome the support of donors to this reintegration component. We need to ensure that our former combatants have the means and opportunities available to play an active role in civilian life and in the rebuilding of Sudan”, said Minister Elias Nyamlell Wakoson, State Minister for International Cooperation (Government of National Unity).

The four-year programme will be led and implemented by the DDR Commissions of North and South Sudan, with support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). “We welcome the Government of Sudan’s leadership in taking forward the DDR programme, and aim to assist the building of national and local capacities to support national ownership of the process. The dividends of peace are long overdue. Employment generation and re-integration of former combatants is key to this process,” said Ad Melkert, UN Under Secretary-General and Associate Administrator for UNDP.

The demobilization and reintegration programmes will run in parallel as a response to the staggered caseload identified for the next four years. Whilst the DDR process will form an important part of the CPA, “it must be seen in a broader context of support to peace and national reconciliation, post conflict stabilization, peace building and conflict reduction. The reintegration programme will thus complement existing Government and UN programming that focuses on building peace at the community level” said Ameerah Haq, UNDP Resident Representative and Resident Coordinator for Sudan.

The Comprehensive Peace Agreement in Sudan, signed on 9 January 2005, ended the longest civil war in Africa. DDR formed a key part of this agreement.

***

For more information please contact:
In Geneva, Adam Rogers, tel.: (+41) 22 917.85.41, adam.rogers@undp.org
In New York, Sausan Ghosheh, tel.: +1 (212) 906 6499. sausan.ghosheh@undp.org,
In Khartoum, Aicha Elbasri, tel.:+1 (249) 183 773 121. Ext. 217, aicha.elbasri@undp.org

UNDP is the UN’s global development network, advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life.