The Darfur Regional Government is an administrative body for the
Darfur
Darfur ( ; ar, دار فور, Dār Fūr, lit=Realm of the Fur) is a region of western Sudan. ''Dār'' is an Arabic word meaning "home f – the region was named Dardaju ( ar, دار داجو, Dār Dājū, links=no) while ruled by the Daju, ...
region of the
Republic of Sudan
Sudan ( or ; ar, السودان, as-Sūdān, officially the Republic of the Sudan ( ar, جمهورية السودان, link=no, Jumhūriyyat as-Sūdān), is a country in Northeast Africa. It shares borders with the Central African Republic ...
.
A Transitional Darfur Regional Authority was established in April 2007 under the terms of the 2006
Darfur Peace Agreement
The Darfur Peace Agreement may refer to one of three peace agreements that were signed by the Government of Sudan and Darfur-based rebel groups in 2006, 2011 and 2020 with the intention of ending the Darfur Conflict.
Abuja Agreement (2006)
Th2006 ...
signed in May 2006. The transitional authority was reconstituted as the Darfur Regional Authority on 14 July 2011, following the signing of a new
Darfur Peace Agreement
The Darfur Peace Agreement may refer to one of three peace agreements that were signed by the Government of Sudan and Darfur-based rebel groups in 2006, 2011 and 2020 with the intention of ending the Darfur Conflict.
Abuja Agreement (2006)
Th2006 ...
, which included provisions for a regional authority with both executive and legislative functions. The current regional government was formed in August 2021.
History
Transitional Darfur Regional Authority (2007-2011)
A Transitional Darfur Regional Authority was established in April 2007 as part of the
Darfur Peace Agreement
The Darfur Peace Agreement may refer to one of three peace agreements that were signed by the Government of Sudan and Darfur-based rebel groups in 2006, 2011 and 2020 with the intention of ending the Darfur Conflict.
Abuja Agreement (2006)
Th2006 ...
between the
Government of Sudan
Government of Sudan is the federal provisional government created by the constitution of Sudan having the executive, parliament, and the judiciary. Previously, a ''president'' was head of state, head of government, and commander-in-chief of the ...
and the
Sudan Liberation Movement
The Sudan Liberation Movement/Army ( ar, حركة تحرير السودان ''Ḥarakat Taḥrīr Al-Sūdān''; abbreviated SLM, SLA, or SLM/A) is a Sudanese rebel group active in Darfur, Sudan. It was founded as the Darfur Liberation FrontFlin ...
of
Minni Minnawi
Suliman Arcua Minnawi ( ar, سليمان أركو مناوي), known as "Minni Minnawi" (; born December 12, 1968 in Furawiyya, North Darfur), is a Sudan, Sudanese politician who was the leader of the largest faction of the Sudanese Liberation Army ...
. The agreement was an attempt to resolve the
Darfur conflict
The War in Darfur, also nicknamed the Land Cruiser War, is a major armed conflict in the Darfur region of Sudan that began in February 2003 when the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) rebel groups be ...
that had been ongoing from February 2003. The agreement was only signed by one rebel group, the Sudan Liberation Movement, and rejected by the
Justice and Equality Movement
The Justice and Equality Movement (JEM; ar, حركة العدل والمساواة, ') is an opposition group in Sudan founded by Khalil Ibrahim. Gibril Ibrahim has led the group since January 2012 after the death of Khalil, his brother, in Dec ...
, resulting in continuation of the conflict.
TDRA was composed of six commissions amongst which Darfur Reconstruction and Development Fund (DRDF) represented the backbone of the Authority. Abdelgabar Dosa was the founding President of the DRDF. The Commission had prepared a comprehensive and significant reconstruction and development plan of seven years 2008–2015 to be implemented in the region with all projects prepared meeting the international standards. In 2008 as the government failed to fulfil its obligations to allocate the seed money ($700 million) agreed upon in the agreement Abdelgabar Dosa resigned and is living as a refugee in the UK.
In December 2010, the Sudan Liberation Movement withdrew from the peace agreement and the regional authority. Its leader Minni Minnawi fled to
Southern Sudan
South Sudan (; din, Paguot Thudän), officially the Republic of South Sudan ( din, Paankɔc Cuëny Thudän), is a landlocked country in East Africa. It is bordered by Ethiopia, Sudan, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Con ...
and has since been dismissed as Senior Assistant to the President of Sudan and as Chairman of the Transitional Darfur Regional Authority. The new Chairman
Shartai Jaafar Abdel Hakam
Shartai Jaafar Abdel Hakam is a Sudanese politician who served as governor of West Darfur and Chairperson of the Transitional Darfur Regional Authority (TDRA). He became Chairperson of the authority in December 2010 following the withdrawal of t ...
subsequently dismissed 10 other members of the Sudan Liberation Movement from the authority.
Darfur Regional Authority (2011-2016)
In June 2011, a new
Darfur Peace Agreement
The Darfur Peace Agreement may refer to one of three peace agreements that were signed by the Government of Sudan and Darfur-based rebel groups in 2006, 2011 and 2020 with the intention of ending the Darfur Conflict.
Abuja Agreement (2006)
Th2006 ...
was proposed by the Joint Mediators at the Doha Peace Forum. This new agreement was intended to supersede the 2006 Abuja Agreement and included provisions for a Darfuri Vice-President and an administrative structure that includes both the
states (as part of the process, two additional states were to be created in January 2012 within Darfur) and a strategic regional authority to oversee Darfur as a whole. The new agreement was signed by the Government of Sudan and the Liberation and Justice Movement on 14 July 2011. The Sudan Liberation Movement and the Justice and Equality Movement did not sign the new document but have three months in which to do so if they wish. The transition process towards a new authority began on 20 September 2011 when
Tijani Sese
The Tijāniyyah ( ar, الطريقة التجانية, Al-Ṭarīqah al-Tijāniyyah, The Tijānī Path) is a Sufi tariqa (order, path), originating in the Maghreb but now more widespread in West Africa, particularly in Senegal, The Gambia, ...
was named as its chairman by the President of Sudan. He was formally sworn in as chairman in October 2011 which was followed by the other executive members being appointed in January 2012. The two new states (
East Darfur
East Darfur State ( Wilāyat Šarq Dārfūr; Sharq Darfur) is one of the states of Sudan, and one of five comprising the Darfur region. It was created in January 2012 as a result of the ongoing peace process for the wider Darfur region. The sta ...
and
Central Darfur
Central Darfur State () is one of the states of Sudan, and one of five comprising the Darfur region. It was created in January 2012 as a result of the ongoing peace process for the wider Darfur region. The state capital is Zalingei. The state w ...
) were also created in the Darfur region at the same time, bringing the total to five. The new authority assumed its full functions on 8 February 2012.
Following the
Darfur status referendum
A referendum on the permanent status of the Darfur within Sudan was held on 11–13 April 2016. It was originally scheduled for 1 and 2 July 2011, but was delayed. The Darfur Peace Agreement signed in May 2006 included the provision for such a r ...
held in April 2016, the DRA was dissolved in July 2016. Its assets were handed over to the Office of the President of Sudan and the commissions established as part of the Darfur peace Agreement now report directly to the president.
The 2011 Darfur Peace Agreement contained provisions for an administrative structure for Darfur that includes the three
states (raised to five states from January 2012) and a strategic authority to oversee the region as a whole. The regional authority it proposed consists of both executive and legislative organs which are known as the Darfur Executive and the Darfur Council.
The Darfur Executive was led by an Executive Chairperson and also included an Executive Deputy-Chairperson, Darfur state governors, ministers and heads of ''ad hoc'' Darfur commissions.
The Darfur Council was made up of 66 Council Members drawn from the armed movements and the Darfur state legislatures. The Council met for the first time in January 2013 in Nyala, South Darfur.
Status referendum
The permanent status of the Darfur region was determined by a
referendum
A referendum (plural: referendums or less commonly referenda) is a direct vote by the electorate on a proposal, law, or political issue. This is in contrast to an issue being voted on by a representative. This may result in the adoption of a ...
held in April 2016 in which the people of Darfur had the choice between "the creation of a Darfur Region composed of the three states" (there are now five states), with a constitution and regional government, or the retention of the status quo, with the Darfur region divided between several states. The referendum result supported the retention of the status quo and the regional authority was dissolved on 14 June 2016.
[Dabanga]
Darfur referendum: ‘States option’ wins by a landslide
published 23 April 2016, accessed 27 April 2021
Darfur Regional Government (2021-present)
On 31 August 2020, the Juba Agreement was signed between the
Transitional Government of Sudan and two Darfur based opposition groups, the
Sudan Liberation Movement/Army
The Sudan Liberation Movement/Army ( ar, حركة تحرير السودان ''Ḥarakat Taḥrīr Al-Sūdān''; abbreviated SLM, SLA, or SLM/A) is a Sudanese rebel group active in Darfur, Sudan. It was founded as the Darfur Liberation FrontFlint ...
and the
Justice and Equality Movement
The Justice and Equality Movement (JEM; ar, حركة العدل والمساواة, ') is an opposition group in Sudan founded by Khalil Ibrahim. Gibril Ibrahim has led the group since January 2012 after the death of Khalil, his brother, in Dec ...
on the other. The agreement stated that the two former rebel groups would join the
transition to democracy
Democratization, or democratisation, is the transition to a more democratic political regime, including substantive political changes moving in a democratic direction. It may be a hybrid regime in transition from an authoritarian regime to a full ...
in Sudan through peaceful means.
As part of this agreement, the Darfur Regional Government was formed in August 2021 when Minni Minnawi was appointed as Regional Governor.
Members
The members of the Darfur Regional Government are as follows:
Leadership
The leaders of the Darfur Regional Government and its predecessor bodies are as follows:
See also
*
Darfur conflict
The War in Darfur, also nicknamed the Land Cruiser War, is a major armed conflict in the Darfur region of Sudan that began in February 2003 when the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) rebel groups be ...
*
Darfur Peace Agreement (2006)
*
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1706
*
United Nations Mission in Sudan
The United Nations Mission in the Sudan (UNMIS) was established by the UN Security Council under Resolution 1590 of 24 March 2005, in response to the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement between the government of the Sudan and the Sudan ...
*
African Union – United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur
References
External links
Darfur Regional GovernmentDarfur Regional Government on Facebookh2>
Predecessor bodies
Darfur Regional AuthorityTransitional Darfur Regional AuthorityDarfur Reconstruction and Development Fundh2>
Media
Radio Dabanga - Darfur news
{{authority control
Darfur
Government agencies of Sudan
Politics of Sudan
2007 establishments in Sudan