Sudanese ex-combatants to be reintegrated

26/06/2008

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has voiced its support for a commitment by Sudan to reintegrate some 180,000 ex-combatants.

Under an agreement signed yesterday (June 25th) by the government of national unity and the government of southern Sudan, former rebel soldiers fighting in the country's protracted north-south war are to return to civilian life.

Their disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration (DDR) forms a crucial component of the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement, which helped bring the 20-year-long conflict to an end.

Under a four-year programme originally tabled in 2006 - but disrupted by ongoing skirmishes as well as unrelated violence in Sudan's Darfur region - Khartoum pledged social, economic and psychological support for ex-combatants as an incentive for disarmament.

"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," commented UNDP associate administrator Ad Melkert.

Ameerah Haq, UNDP Resident Representative in Sudan added that the reintegration programme "must be seen in a broader context of support to peace and national reconciliation, post–conflict stabilisation, peace building and conflict reduction".

Over 1.5 million people are known to have died in the north-south war, making it one of Africa's costliest land disputes. Contention between the two sides centres on the status of numerous oil fields in border regions.

The reintegration beneficiaries will include some 24,000 members of the Sudan Armed Forces as well as almost 5,300 female militia members and 17,500 disabled combatants.


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