The Sudanese Parties Sign the Agreement on the Modalities for the Establishment of the Ceasefire Commission and the Deployment of Observers in the Darfur

PRESS RELEASE African Union (Addis Ababa)

May 28, 2004

Addis Ababa

The Government of the Sudan, on the one hand, the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) and the Justice Equality Movement (JEM), on the other, have signed today, at the AU Headquarters, the Agreement on the Modalities for the Establishment of the Ceasefire Commission and the Deployment of Observers in the Darfur, submitted to them by the African Union (AU) and its partners.

The Agreement covers, among others, the composition and the mandate of the Ceasefire Commission (CFC) as provided for by the Humanitarian Ceasefire Agreement signed in N'djamena, Chad, on 8 April 2004, as well as the modalities for monitoring and verification.

Today's signing paves the way for the deployment of the observers by the AU and its partners in the international community.

It should be indicated that, following the signing, the Ceasefire Commission held its first meeting at the AU Headquarters. On that occasion, the Sudanese parties recommitted themselves to the scrupulous implementation of the Humanitarian Ceasefire Agreement and pledged to extend full cooperation to the Mission. They also introduced their representatives to the CFC.

On his part, the AU Commissioner for Peace and Security announced that the first batch of AU observers would be deployed to Darfur, by next Wednesday, 2 June 2004.