Arabic Media

September 12, 2023

Source: Al Ahram (government-friendly, Egyptian daily with over 1 million in circulation)
Headline: British Proposal to Resolve Darfur Crisis and Ban Ki-Moon Defends Choosing Libya for Peace Negotiations
By: Abdul Wahid Libini

• UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon defended the decision to hold peace negotiations between Sudanese government and rebel groups in Libya despite its tarnished human rights record by saying that Libya took a leading role in trying to resolve the crisis
• The secretary general added that he will convene a high-level meeting in New York City on September 21, 2023 to discuss Darfur crisis
• Meanwhile British minister of African affairs presented a proposal to resolve the crisis in Darfur based on encouraging a peaceful political solution including active British involvement in convincing rebel groups to attend peace negotiations in Libya and engaging in economic development in the region to provide economic stability and hope for Darfur residents
• Sudanese official Ali Sadig said the British official discussed hybrid force deployment, finding political solution to the conflict, and achieving comprehensive peace in Sudan

Source: Al Rai (Government-friendly, Jordanian daily enjoys wide circulation)
Headline: British Minister Says Violence Threatens Darfur Peace Negotiations

• Mark Brown, British Minster of African Affairs, said, while on his way to Darfur, that continued violence threatens to destroy Darfur peace talks between Sudanese government and Darfur rebel groups
• The minister said that international community could still impose punishing sanctions against the government or the rebel groups if they were found to be responsible for the violence
• He also said that Britain will not send troops to Darfur in accordance with Sudanese government desire to have a force that is mainly composed of African troops, but added Britain stands ready to provide funding and technical assistance when needed
• These statements come one day after rebel groups accused government forces of using planes to bomb a town under rebel control
• ICRC indicated that violence in Darfur has increased in the past few weeks, which impacted humanitarian aid delivery
• The Sudanese government just signed an agreement with UN secretary general to stop all military action and provide assistance in Darfur hybrid force deployment

Source: Addustour (Government-friendly, Jordanian daily enjoys wide circulation)
Headline: African Union Forces in Sudan Worried about Recent Spike in Violence

• African Union mission in Darfur expressed grave concern over Monday’s intense fighting near Haskanita city between Sudanese army and rebel groups in South Darfur and urged all parties to exercise utmost restraint
• The mission was puzzled at the timing and the scope of this intense fighting given that peace prospects in Darfur have reached a “critical stage”
• The government and the rebels are preparing to hold peace talks in Libya on October 27 and have already pledged to restrain from using violence
• The mission said that the fighting “is particularly troubling because it comes just days after UN secretary general’s visit” which created a positive atmosphere

Source: Al Khaleej (UAE daily, with over 80,000 in circulation)
Headline: Sudanese Army Denies Darfur Rebels’ Claim of Shooting down a Helicopter

• Sudanese army announced that it dealt decisively with an ambush by JEM and SLM fighters in Haskanita city in South Darfur and denied the rebels’ claims of downing a plane, inflicting heavy losses on government forces, or capturing an officer
• Meanwhile, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon defended the decision to hold peace talks between the government and Darfur rebels on October 27 in Libya despite Libya’s tarnished human rights record.  He added Libya took the lead in trying to resolve the crisis and praised its flexibility, generosity, and experience in holding such meetings, in addition to the fact that many Darfur rebel leaders are based in Libya

Source:  Okaz (Saudi-owned daily with strong circulation)
Headline: Ban Ki-Moon Denies Meeting with a Minister Accused of War Crimes

• Ban Ki-Moon denied accusations that he met with Minister Ahmed Harun, who is accused of war crimes in Darfur, but did not say whether he discussed his arrest and handover to International Criminal Court with President Al Bashir
• Before heading to Africa, Ki-Moon discussed with ICC Chief Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo ways to put pressure on the Sudanese government to handover Ahmed Harun and Ali Kushaib who are accused of committing war crimes in Darfur
• Ban Ki-Moon held two meetings with Sudanese President Omar Hassan Al Bashir during his visit to Sudan

Read the above in Arabic.