Annex 3
Timeline of key UK Engagement on Darfur
APRIL 2003
Secretary of State for International Development
meets Vice-President Taha in London and writes to press for humanitarian
access in Darfur.
UK initiates fortnightly meeting in Khartoum
to discuss access to Darfur with Government of Sudan, UN and donors.
SEPTEMBER 2003
UK supports Chadian brokered cease-fire agreement
as an international observer.
OCTOBER 2003
Following UN launch of the Greater Darfur Special
Initiative, UK begins funding humanitarian response in Darfur.
The first contribution was £1m to UNHCR for Sudanese refugees
in Chad. (see funding table for contributions to date).
BY DECEMBER
2003
UK humanitarian commitments total £4.5m
directed at the UN and key NGOs already operationally engaged
in Darfur.
UK participates in deployment of UN Disaster
Assessment and Co-ordination team to determine with other donors
strategic inputs of specialist technical support and equipment
to bolster capacity of UN response. First UK OCHA secondee started
in Khartoum January 2004.
DECEMBER 2003
Hilary Benn visits Khartoum and presses the
Government including President Bashir on humanitarian access in
Darfur.
JANUARY-MARCH
2004
UK plays key role in Khartoum in galvanising
pressure from international community on Government of Sudan in
Khartoum to increase humanitarian access to Darfur.
APRIL 2004
UK acts as observer at Ndjamena Humanitarian
ceasefire agreed mediated by Chad.
UK humanitarian commitments for 2003-04 total
£9.5m. Secretary of State for International Development announces
further £10m allocation to be committed in support of the
UN-led response, to UN agencies and to enable NGOs to start and
expand operations in Darfur.
MAY 2004
Secretary of State for International Development
writes to Utstein Colleagues urging more humanitarian contributions
for Darfur.
UK supplies strategic inputs of essential non-food
items by air-lift for distribution by UN agencies including rope,
plastic sheeting and blankets.
Sudanese Foreign Minister visits London. Foreign
Secretary and Secretary of State for International Development
press on improving humanitarian access and improving the security
situation. Secretary of State for International Development speaks
to Sudanese Foreign Minister on his return to Khartoum.
Sudanese Government then announce relaxation
on restrictions on humanitarian access to Darfur. UK encourages
more NGOs to take become operational in Darfur.
AU Peace and Security Council agrees plans for
deployment of Ceasefire Commission to Darfur including 120 Observers.
UK commits £2m in support and starts lobbying EC to release
12m euros from African Peace Facility.
JUNE 2004
UK welcomes signature by Sudanese Government
and SPLA rebel leaders of power-sharing protocols to end over
20 years of civil war. The protocols follow earlier breakthroughs
on division of oil and non-oil wealth. Prime Minister writes to
President Bashir following signature of the protocols and presses
on the need to make progress in Darfur.
Secretary of State for International Development
visits Khartoum and Darfur, including three IDP camps. Presses
the GoS on the need to improve humanitarian access. Meets with
UN and NGOs to discuss how to improve humanitarian response. Announces
further humanitarian funding of £15m. Speaks to Minister
for Humanitarian Affairs and Sudanese Foreign Minister on return
to UK to pursue issues on access for humanitarian agencies.
Foreign Secretary speaks to UNSG and raises
need for better UN leadership in Darfur. Secretary of State for
International Development discusses how to bolster UN performance
in Darfur with heads of UNICEF, WFP and UNHCR.
Secretary of State for International Development
raises need for more funding for Darfur at Informal meeting of
EU Development Ministers. Following his visit to Darfur, he writes
to all donor countries attending the Annual Tidewater meeting
of Donors and raises Darfur in discussion at the meeting. UK supports
G8 statement on the need for progress by the Government of Sudan
and more humanitarian assistance for Darfur. Hilary Benn calls
Commissioner Nielson to urge more humanitarian aid including food
aid from the European Commission.
JULY 2004
Prime Minister and Secretary of State for International
Development discuss Darfur with UN Secretary General. Hilary Benn
meets with the Heads of UNICEF and OCHA to discuss how UK can
support UN performance in Darfur.
UK Special Representative and HMA Khartoum meet
President Bashir and Foreign Secretary speaks to Sudanese Foreign
Minister to urge progress in improving security in Darfur.
UK co-sponsors UN resolution 1556 which inter
alia imposes an arms embargo on all non-governmental entities,
including the Janjaweed operating in Darfur. It also threatens
further measures under Article 41, should the GoS fail to comply
with the international community's demands.
UN and GoS agree an Action Plan to tackle the
crisis in Darfur. UK participates in Joint Implementation Mechanism
agreed to monitor progress.
UK produces humanitarian strategy for Darfur
including additional £28.5m. UK allocation for humanitarian
assistance now £62.5m from September 2003 to March 2005.
UK, Ireland, Germany and Denmark write jointly
to Commissioner Nielson about the need for more food aid for Darfur.
Hilary Benn writes to urge more funding from Canada and Japan.
Foreign Secretary raises need for more funding for Darfur with
Switzerland and discusses Darfur with Colin Powell.
AUGUST 2004
Foreign Secretary visits Sudan and presses on
the security situation and access for human rights NGOs. Meets
with UK NGOs before and after visit.
UK finances air-lift of Nigerian troops as force
protection for AU mission.
SEPTEMBER 2004
UK co-sponsors UN resolution 1564 which inter
alia maintains the threat of further measures, including actions
to affect Sudan's petroleum sector, unless Sudan complies with
the requirements of resolutions 1556 and 1564 and extends full
co-operation to the expansion of the African Union monitoring
mission in Darfur.
Secretary of State for International Development
meets the Heads of WHO, UNHCR and ICRC in Geneva to discuss how
to improve the humanitarian response in Darfur and the need for
a coherent plan on returns.
Foreign Secretary discusses human rights in
Darfur with UN High Commissioner on Human Rights following her
visit.
OCTOBER 2004
Prime Minister visits Sudan and obtains commitments
from the President of Sudan on improving the security situation
in Darfur. Prime Minister writes to President Bush and EU Presidency
on the need for the international community to provide more humanitarian
assistance.
Prime Minister announces additional £12
million to support forthcoming African Union expansion of monitoring
mission in Darfur.
Secretary of State for International Development
raises need for more funding for Darfur at Informal meeting of
EU Development Ministers.
Chris Mullin, Minister for Africa, meets with
leadership of SLM to press them on adhering to the ceasefire agreements
and to sign the Humanitarian Protocol and make progress on security
issues at the peace talks in Abuja.
Prime Minister, Foreign Secretary and Secretary
of State for International Development discuss Darfur with UN
Secretary General during his visit to the UK.
AU PSC mandates the expansion of its mission
in Sudan to 3,320 personnel. UK with EU Member States successfully
lobbies for further support from the EC Peace Facility.
NOVEMBER 2004
Foreign Secretary condemns forced relocations
of Internally Displaced People near Nyala.
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