First meeting on Darfur rehabilitation fund kicks off

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs Ahmed bin Abdullah Al Mahmoud inaugurated Monday the first meeting of board of directors (BoD) of Darfur Rehabilitation and Development Fund. Speaking at the meeting, Al Mahmoud noted that the meeting aims to emphasize the commitment of the international community to implement the 'Doha Document for Peace in Darfur' (DDPD) and to exert tireless efforts to shift from a stage of relief and humanitarian operations to a stage of sustainable development and reconstruction. He added that the meeting also comes as a translation of the international community's support and its financial pledges at Donors' Conference for Reconstruction and Development in Darfur which was held in Doha in April this year. The meeting reviewed what has been achieved within the framework of the development strategy in Darfur, funding mechanism, functions of the board of directors of Darfur Rehabilitation and Development Fund as well as functions of the Board of Directors' Secretariat, needs of the Darfur Regional Authority (DRA) and short and long-term projects. Sudan, the DRA, the African Union, United Nations Mission in Darfur (UNAMID), the United Nations, the United Kingdom, China, Turkey, Germany and Brazil along with the State of Qatar are taking part in the meeting