Egypt's role in Darfur crisis

 

 

Chairman

 

Addressing the crisis of Darfur is a crucial matter not only because of the gravity of the conflict in this region and its catastrophic effects or failure of efforts settlement, but also because it threatens the unity, sovereignty and regional safety of Sudan.

 

On the regional level, this conflict helps in creating an atmosphere of mutual mistrust between Sudan and its neighbors, the matter shown in the exchange of accusations between Sudan and neighboring countries that support rebels of the two parties. This happens in light of the eruption of many conflicts in some of the said countries the matter along with the ethnic and tribal interpenetration between them and Sudan which shed its shadows on the stance of those countries towards the conflict and internationalization of the settlement.

 

The African Union (AU) played a pivotal role in dealing with the conflict since 2004, stressing commitment to the African solution and supporting its efforts with international helps till the events started to escalate and desire of the international parties to keenness in the interfer moreover, increased as well as approved of the AU to transfer its mission in Darfur to international forces since March 2006, then the issuance of UNSC issued resolution No. 1706 on August 31, 2006 stipulating the transference of the mission to international forces due to the failure to reach a settlement for the conflict.

 

Reactions of the neighboring countries toward the crisis in Darfur differed as some countries tried to play the role of intermediary between the government and rebels, others tried to practice pressures on the Sudan's government to approve some of the rebels' requirements while other countries preferred the international interference as the best solution in order to close sources of finance for rebels in said countries.

 

Depending on the acceptance of the Egyptian role by the Sudanese government due to historical, diplomatic, economic and social ties between the two countries, and acceptance of its role by leaders of rebels due to its impartiality and serious efforts to reach a settlement as well as the acceptance of its role by the international community, Egypt tried to avoid increasing pressures of the international community on Sudan and warned against speech on the deployment of international forces on the Sudanese lands without the approval of the Sudanese government, as Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul-Gheit stated.

 

Egypt does not consider this conflict as an Arab African conflict as it does not reach the level of genocide in the region. Egypt is trying to adopt a diplomatic policy leading to calm positions between the Sudanese government and international community and use its strong relations with the international parties to warn against practicing pressures on the government of Khartoum. President Hosni Mubarak adopted this stance and urged Sudan to show flexibility with requirements of the rebel movements.

 

The reasons behind the Egyptian strong role in the Darfur's crisis are widely known as Sudan represents a strategic depth in south Egypt and a key source of Egypt's water security sources. In addition, the escalation of positions in the African Horn region along with interference of international forces without the approval of the Sudanese government will make region of Darfur to become a new hotbed of conflict.

 

Since the establishment of the AU forces, Egypt participates with troops assuming its role in the region and will support it with additional troops within the framework of decisions of the AU and UN in the UN forces in southern Sudan to participate in keeping Sudan's security and sovereignty.

 

Egypt has offered its vision on the realization of a settlement to the conflict in Darfur through extending the mission of the AU there and convincing the parties which did not sign the Darfur peace agreement with the necessity of joining the agreement taking into account the requirements of different factions or groups. It also stressed the necessity of supporting a Darfurian-Darfurian dialogue while allowing the UN to play a role in the peace keeping without violating the Sudanese sovereignty whether through providing the financial or the military support or the experts to the AU forces in Darfur.