UAE’s regional role ends years of conflict in Sudan

Sarah Rashad

The peace agreement in Sudan that ended 17 years of civil war and was mediated by the United Arab Emirates has shed light on Abu Dhabi’s efforts to solve crises in the region.

The UAE’s role helped to end years of civil war between armed groups and successive Sudanese governments. In this regard, Lieutenant General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, first vice president of the Sudanese Sovereignty Council and head of the government’s delegation to the peace negotiations, thanked the UAE for its role in mediating and making the negotiations successful.

Meanwhile, UAE Ambassador to Sudan Hamad Al-Junaibi confirmed in a tweet that the agreement is a historic moment and that the UAE, keen to cement peace in Sudan, worked on this historic agreement.

Emirati success

Over the last decade, the UAE has succeeded in presenting itself as a mediator in many regional issues. But the case of Sudan is considered special, as the agreement comes after years of conflicts have killed and displaced millions of Sudanese.

The Sudanese government signed the historic peace agreement with the armed movements on Monday, August 31, in Juba, the capital of South Sudan. The occasion witnessed a huge celebration, while Arab and Western countries welcomed the agreement, affirming their support for strengthening the country’s security.

The agreement, which ended 17 years of fighting and enjoyed a remarkable regional presence, was attended by Lieutenant General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, chairman of the Sudanese Sovereignty Council; his deputy, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo; and Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok. It provides political representation, delegation of powers, integration into the security forces, economic rights, and an opportunity for the displaced to return.

The agreement was signed by the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) led by Gabriel Ibrahim, the Sudan Liberation Army (SLA) led by Minni Minnawi, the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement – North (SPLM-N) led by Malik Agar in South Kordofan and Blue Nile, the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM), the Transitional Council, the Sudanese Alliance, the Sudanese Liberation Front, the Beja Congress, the United People’s Front for Liberation and Justice, and the Kush Liberation Movement.

South Sudanese President Salva Kiir Mayardit signed on behalf of his government, while Dagalo signed for the Republic of Sudan.

The agreement comes after ten months of negotiation between the signatory parties. The most prominent articles of the agreement include the cessation of war, reparations, respect for religious and cultural pluralism, and positive recognition in war zones of Darfur, Blue Nile and South Kordofan.

The agreement also stipulates the extension of the transitional period to another 39 months, starting from the date of signing the agreement. The signatories in the transitional authority would hold three seats in the Sovereignty Council, bringing the number of council members to 14. They would also obtain five seats in the Cabinet, where the number of ministerial portfolios is expected to increase to 25, in addition to 75 seats in the Legislative Council, which is expected to be formed of 300 members.