UNDP Support to Tribal Elders’ Conclave Boosts Peace Efforts in South Kordofan

Kadugli, 25 January 2011 The Southern Kordofan Reconciliation and Peaceful Coexistence Mechanism (RPCM) and UNDP’s Crisis and Recovery Mapping and Analysis (CRMA) and Conflict Reduction Programme (CRP)-supported community interaction in Al Buram locality has enabled the Shatt Nuba and Rawawga Hawazma tribes to jointly decide on interventions for consolidation of peace and reconciliation. Efforts to bring the two communities together were part of a two-day workshop that concluded , here today.

Following a successful peace conference in December 2010 which was facilitated by RPCM and UNMIS Civil Affairs Division, the two-day participatory exercise provided a forum for leaders of the two communities to jointly identify the pressing issues affecting both sides and to prioritize these interventions. This prioritization allows UNDP and the state government to identify partners to deliver these infrastructure, service and capacity needs .

UNDP’s capacity to deliver on these needs in Al Buram locality is greatly boosted by the presence of the Joint Programme (JP) on Conflict Prevention and Peace Building. The programme, being implemented in and around Daloka town in Buram brings resources of eight inter-governmental agencies to assist in consolidation of peace between the Shatt and Rawawga tribes.

First piloted in Dabker, Al Sunut locality, the workshop methodology encourages previously-conflicting communities to jointly list the ‘ten critical issues’ affecting their communities before mapping and prioritizing the locations of interventions. Going beyond facilitating the production of concrete community needs, these workshops are valuable tools in bringing previously conflicting communities together to arrive at a joint set of decisions, and providing a model for future interactions between the communities.

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For more information please contact:
Kumar Tiku: Head, Communications Unit, UNDP Sudan: kumar.tiku@undp.org

UNDP is the UN’s global development network, advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life.