Rekindling the Darfur Negotiations: Keys to Success

On October 11, 2007, the Africa Program at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars and the Initiative for Inclusive Security co-sponsored an event entitled "Rekindling Darfur Negotiations: Keys to Success." The discussion was led by Carla Koppell, Director of the Initiative for Inclusive Security and Dr. Robert A. Pastor, Interim Co-Director of The Elders, a group of thirteen world leaders, convened by Nelson Mandela and chaired by Desmond Tutu, dedicated to tackling global crises and issues. The purpose of the event was to discuss the findings of both speakers from their recent trips to the region and more specifically, to discuss the factors that could lead to successful negotiations in Darfur.

Following the opening remarks by Coralie Bryant, Policy Scholar at the Wilson Center and moderator of the event, Carla Koppell began by presenting the origin and role of the Initiative for Inclusive Security. The organization works with a broad coalition of civil society leaders and focuses on the inclusion of women in the political and security processes. In Sudan, the Initiative brings together women representing different interests to demonstrate that they can be pragmatic about getting together despite their differences and to highlight the fact that they are key actors in the negotiation process. Koppell believes that while "it was heartening to see the will and the capacity of people on the ground for peace, the news is worse recently". Indeed, she touched on the fact that the main former rebel organization, the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM), had pulled out of the government of national unity. She also discussed the increasingly unsettled situation on the physical border between the North and the South and the issues regarding the devolution of authority and the inability of the various factions to work as a team. Finally, she underlined four priorities that resulted from her trip to the region:

1) Building on and nurturing the CPA (Comprehensive Peace Agreement) - while Darfur should not be marginalized, it must be understood that the failure of the CPA would inevitably lead to a deterioration of the situation in Darfur. The conflict in Darfur is part and parcel of the wider Sudan peace process.
2) Creating a proper incentive framework - The main rebel groups have now split into 28 factions because they feel that by taking up arms they can gain a "seat at the table". The remedy would be to demand that those coming to the table bring with them political, economic and social actors as well as a number of Sudanese women, rather than just military actors. This would serve as a check for the legitimacy of these groups and help to create a table that does not give voice solely to those who bear arms.
3) Ensuring accountability and transparency, and creating a foundation for local ownership of the negotiations. To do this, first, "don't lock the doors to the talks" which would limit freelancing and increase the legitimacy of the process. Furthermore, one should note that "feedback loops must involve input from the ground in Darfur into peace talks, not just from elites."
4) Creating durable peace- the international community must enable local movements for peace and support them. These local movements would serve as a moderating force on the different factions.

In conclusion, Koppell stressed the fact that while there is a higher number of people who want peace in Darfur and in Sudan more generally than people who want war, those who want war are unfortunately more influential. Finally, one should note that the priorities stated above could serve as a model for the way peace processes are implemented all around the world.

During the presentation of his findings, Dr. Robert A. Pastor shared insights from his recent trip to Sudan with The Elders. He began by providing a background of the situation in Darfur and in Sudan more generally. Dr. Pastor pointed out the fact that since its independence in 1956, nearly ¾ of Sudan's existence has been in civil war. Furthermore, he noted the fact that even the supporters of the Al-Bashir regime have come to realize that change is necessary to bring an end to the devastation in Darfur and in the rest of Sudan. For its part, the international community has been divided between its responsibility to protect and the principle of sovereignty. All of these factors led to Darfur having been chosen as the first mission of The Elders. The goal of The Elders' mission to Darfur was to 1) listen and report, 2) illuminate a path to peace, and 3) lend their moral influence. At the completion of their trip, The Elders came to the conclusion that while the world is quite correct to focus on Darfur because of the obvious humanitarian tragedy, it is nonetheless important to keep in mind that "the road to peace in al Fashir runs through Juba." Indeed, if the CPA comes apart, the hope for peace in Darfur would be significantly diminished, possibly extinguished. Finally, Dr. Pastor provided a number of recommendations proposed by The Elders: there should be an immediate cease fire; there should be an end to aerial bombing; there should be protection of humanitarian workers; there should be more communication between the United Nations (UN) and the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs; there should be a deployment of African Union forces supplemented by the UN; a census should be carried out; there should be a passage of sound electoral laws; and the CPA should be resuscitated. In conclusion, Dr. Pastor noted that instead of speaking of rekindling the Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA), we should talk about nurturing it and continuing with the momentum.

During the question and answer session of the presentation, Ambassador Timothy M. Carney, the former Ambassador to Sudan and the last U.S accredited ambassador in the country, questioned whether the international attention to Sudan was being played out as a zero-sum game whereby focusing on Darfur would take away from the CPA and vice versa. The answer to this question was simply that the international community should focus on both the situation in Darfur and in Sudan more generally as two sides of the same coin.

Drafted by Aliya Jalloh, Intern and Roseline Tekeu, Program Assistant, Africa Program.