African Union Official: Qatar to Mediate Peace Talks in Darfur

Doha, July 21 (QNA) - Qatar seeks to broker peace talks between the different parties in the Darfur region, and also works to achieve development there through mediation, which had culminated in the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur (DDPD), as well as hosting the international Donor Conference for Reconstruction and Development in Darfur, Habiba Mejri-Cheikh, director of information and communication of the African Union Commission, told QNA in an interview. She added that Qatar's investments in African countries back the African Union's efforts in resolving problems facing the continent and boosting Afro-Arab economic cooperation. The African Union aspires to boost cooperation with Qatar in light of capacities of both sides, which contribute to the achievement of their goals and common interests, Mejri-Cheikh said. In light of renewed activities of terrorist groups in Nigeria, Kenya, and other AU member states, she said, promoting peace and security are still the main priorities of the AU along with agricultural development and food security The AU is working to resolve conflicts and crises in the Central African Republic, South Sudan and Libya through its mechanisms. In addition, it seeks to find alternative local self-financing sources to fund its activities, programs and its peacekeeping operations, said the AU official. Mejri-Cheikh noted that the recent summit of the African Union stressed the need to cooperate with the Arab League in order to find lasting solutions to problems that are still facing the Afro-Arab Cultural Institute in Bamako through the implementation of resolution of the third African-Arab summit, which was held in Kuwait in November. (QNA)