Sudan signs ceasefire deal with main Darfur rebel group
Omar al-Bashir
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By Matt Hallam. |  |
Wednesday, 24, Feb 2010 09:40
By Richard James.
Sudanese president Omar al-Bashir has signed a framework agreement for a ceasefire with of the main rebel group in Darfur.
Mr al-Bashir signed the power-sharing agreement with the Justice and Equality Movement (Jem) in Doha, the capital of Qatar, on Tuesday.
The group announced it would start observing a ceasefire from midnight.
It is hoped the deal will lead to a broader peace accord to end the seven-year conflict between the government and the rebels which has left some 200,000 people dead.
Preliminary documents setting out the terms of the deal are reported to include offering government positions to members of the rebel group which may now form a political party.
Mr al-Bashir had been under serious pressure by the international community to end the fighting in Sudan, especially following the decision by the International Criminal Court to charge him with crimes against humanity, and potentially genocide, over the government's violent campaign against the rebels in Darfur.
The United Nations claims hundreds of thousands of people have been killed in the fighting in Darfur since 2003 with over 2.7 million others driven from their homes.
UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon hailed the new agreement between the government and the rebel group, describing it as "an important step towards inclusive and comprehensive peace agreement for Darfur".
Following the signing of the deal, Qatar announced a £969 million fund would be established to help drive development in Darfur.