DRA Begins Appointing Staff, Says Competence will be the Criteria

Khartoum – Darfur Regional Authority (DRA) described the US position on the Darfur People Conference to be convened by the end of this year in Doha as positive especially its efforts to mobilize participants and raise fund for its organization.

DRA Minister of Information and official spokesperson Ibrahim Madibo said the Authority held over six meetings with representatives of the US Administration to arrange provision of necessary funding for the donor conference scheduled to be convened in December.

Speaking at press conference held at SMC premises, Madibo said DRA would begin during the coming week to appoint staff but the criteria would be competence.

With regard to security arrangements related to the Liberation and Justice Movement (LJM), he said the matter was left to be sorted out by the officials concerned, saying a meeting was held between mediators and LJM to reschedule implementation of the provisions of the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur (DDPD) for endorsement.

He accused South Sudan of dragging its feet to reach an agreement with Sudan on the outstanding issues, saying the South is employing dilatory tactics to pave the way for intervention of the UNSC.

Madibo said the question of new settlers raised at the conference needs more discussion to determine the magnitude of encroachment on land. He said the cost of reconstruction in Darfur is estimated at $8 millions.