The Doha Document for Peace in Darfur Agreement (DDPD) was signed between the Government of Sudan and Liberation and Justice Movement (LJM) in July 2011.
Since then, new factions have joined the peace process and many more demonstrated interest.
A key provision of the DDPD stipulates that all disarmed and demobilized ex-combatants should be economically and socially reintegrated into civilian society.
The objective of the DDR is to contribute to long term peace and security in Darfur by providing socio-economic reintegration assistance to demobilized male and female ex-combatants
2996 former fighters ( 80 % male and 20% female ) aligned to LJM, Justice and Equality Movement and other factions have been verified, disarmed, demobilized and reintegrated into civilian life in all five States in Darfur.
The trainings have enabled the ex-combatants to engage in long term self-employment and income generation activities.
They include: small business and microenterprise development, vocational and skills trainings such as vehicle repairs and maintenance, carpentry, welding and other professional skills that bring long term benefits not only to ex-combatants but also to the wider community.
These tangible benefits have contributed to improving living standards. As a result of earnings from income generation activities they have become key in persuading other fighters to join DDPD.
The objective of the DDR is to contribute to long term peace and security in Darfur by providing socio-economic reintegration assistance to demobilized male and female ex-combatants
2996 former fighters ( 80 % male and 20% female ) aligned to LJM, Justice and Equality Movement and other factions have been verified, disarmed, demobilized and reintegrated into civilian life in all five States in Darfur.
The trainings have enabled the ex-combatants to engage in long term self-employment and income generation activities.
They include: small business and microenterprise development, vocational and skills trainings such as vehicle repairs and maintenance, carpentry, welding and other professional skills that bring long term benefits not only to ex-combatants but also to the wider community.
These tangible benefits have contributed to improving living standards. As a result of earnings from income generation activities they have become key in persuading other fighters to join DDPD.
Many fighters now see the DDR Programme as an alternative to war and violence.
It has succeed preventing young fighters from engaging in violence or migrating to Libya and South Sudan as mercenaries. Instead it transformed them to agents of change engaged in training their peers in various professional skills and sensitizing local communities on benefits of peace.
D DR is the only programme designed to specifically provide verified former fighters with alternative livelihoods opportunities. It is imperative that reintegration opportunities be provided to nearly 10 000 former fighters who have shown interest to join the peace process.
Failure could force them to re-join the conflict or continue to rely on violence as a source of livelihood with implications on local, national and regional security.
