UN-AU mediator, Qataris kick off talks in Darfur on peace process

Members of the Darfur mediation team, including the United Nations, the African Union and Qatar, have arrived in the strife-torn Sudanese region to begin several days of consultations aimed at advancing the ongoing peace process.

AU-UN Joint Chief Mediator Djibrill Bassol? and Qatari Foreign Minister Ahmed bin Abdullah Al-Mahmoud kicked off the talks today in El Fasher.

Over the next several days, they will hold extensive consultations on the ongoing peace process with the local authorities and representatives of civil society.

Including internally displaced persons, nomadic communities and other stakeholders.

Today the mediation team met with UNAMID Joint Special Representative Ibrahim Gambari and representatives from the local community at the University of El Fasher.

In September a committee involving members of the mediation team produced a preliminary draft peace document aimed at ending the bloody conflict in Darfur.

The team will hold consultations in Nyala, South Darfur, and in El Geneina and Zalingei, West Darfur, over the next three days.