Darfur: UN-AU envoy meets with World Bank officials

The head of the joint United Nations-African Union peacekeeping mission in Darfur today called for World Bank assistance to ensure that the “dividends of peace are made evident” to promote a sustainable peace in the war-ravaged Sudanese region.

During their talks in Khartoum, Ibrahim Gambari, Joint Special Representative of the mission, known as UNAMID, and Obiageli Ezekwesili, World Bank Vice President for Africa, agreed that the two bodies will continue to explore ways to further early recovery and development in Darfur.

Mr. Gambari said that UNAMID, while pressing ahead with its core mandate of protecting and delivering aid to those in need, will explore ways to support the UN Country Team and its partners.

For her part, the World Bank official emphasized the World Bank’s primary responsibility lies in improving the quality of life for citizens, especially in the area of poverty reduction. A $4 million Peace Fund could be stretched to cover Darfur, she said, voicing concern over the security situation in the region.

As many as 2.7 million Darfurians live as internally displaced persons (IDPs) or as refugees in neighbouring countries as a result of the seven-year-old conflict in the western region of Sudan that has also resulted in an estimated 300,000 deaths.