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The protracted conflict between the Sudanese government and a variety of rebel groups in the Darfur region is about to end.
On October 2, the belligerents will meet in South Sudan’s capital Juba to sign the final peace agreement. This is the culmination of a long process that has consumed a lot of effort.
It should not be in vain. The agreement with the Southern Revolutionary Front (SRF), a coalition of rebel groups, will be an affirmation of the historic August 31 pact signed in the city, ending nearly two decades of bloody conflict that killed hundreds of thousands. people, especially in West Darfur.
There have been other pacts, reaffirming the commitment to find a lasting solution to the problem. This is a great achievement of the transitional government of Sudan, which ended several decades of the dictatorship of Omar al-Bashir. His militant approach failed to end the conflict.
His overthrow after months of massive protests opened the door to fruitful negotiations. Now he will only hear about the progress from his cell, as he is tried for crimes such as repression and bribery.
This agreement covers the key issues of security, land ownership, justice, power-sharing and the return of displaced civilians. It implies the dismantling of the rebel forces, the integration of their combatants into the national army. Some 300,000 people died in Darfur alone.
This is a great opportunity for arms to fall silent and Sudan to consolidate and forge national unity for prosperity and progress. It is also significant that this final part of the peace process is concluding in Juba. It took a long and bloody fight before Khartoum let South Sudan go. Juba has also seen a fair share of the violence that threatened to engulf the newer state. A government of national unity is emerging.
The African Union and the international community deserve praise for having contributed to the search for unity and lasting peace in both neighboring countries. Sudanese leaders have no choice but to ensure that peace finally reigns.
