UNAMID's Rodolphe Adada meets JEM's Khalil Ibrahim in North Darfur

Mr. Adada once again urged that all efforts should focus on boosting the ongoing negotiations in Doha, Qatar, noting that “the problems that Sudan is facing now have no military solution.”

Top UN-African Union envoy meets Darfur rebel leader
From UN News Centre, Thursday, 11 June 2009 – excerpt:

The head of the joint United Nations–African Union mission in Darfur (UNAMID) has reiterated that there is no military solution to the problems facing the strife-torn Sudanese region, as he met with the leader of a major rebel group.

Yesterday’s meeting in North Darfur between Joint Special Representative Rodolphe Adada and the Chairman of the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), Khalil Ibrahim, was the second of its kind this year and part of a “continued effort to establish a good working relationship with all parties involved in the Darfur conflict,” the mission said in a news release.

Mr. Adada once again urged that all efforts should focus on boosting the ongoing negotiations in Doha, Qatar, noting that “the problems that Sudan is facing now have no military solution.”

Mr. Adada renewed his appeal to JEM and all negotiating parties in Doha to commit to a cessation of hostilities as soon as possible, the mission said.

UNAMID added that Mr. Ibrahim expressed JEM’s readiness for a cessation of hostilities in the context of a framework agreement and pledged to contribute to the improvement of the humanitarian situation and protection of civilians until a comprehensive peace agreement is reached.

Mr. Adada and Mr. Ibrahim agreed on a mechanism to improve communication and contacts between UNAMID and JEM, the mission said.