A grant agreement of 88.5 million dollars is being signed Sunday between the State of Qatar and the United Nations Multi-Partner Trust Fund, administered by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
The grant aims to finance recovery and reconstruction in the five states of Darfur. It is the single largest donation of the State of Qatar to the United Nations.
"We are very grateful to the State of Qatar for this substantial support to the efforts for peace and recovery in Darfur, where the needs and challenges are enormous. It is our firm belief that investing in development in Darfur can help to break the cycle of violence and begin to sow the seeds of peace in this region of Sudan." said the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator &
UNDP Resident Representative in Sudan, Mr. Ali Al-Za'tari.
This support is one of the main outcomes of the Darfur peace agreement , signed in Doha in 2011, and will kick-start the implementation of the immediate priorities outlined in the Darfur Development Strategy, launched at the international Donor Conference in April 2013. The three pillars of the Darfur Development Strategy are Reconstruction; Governance, Justice and Reconciliation; and Economic Recovery.
The Qatari contribution will signal the commencement of implementation of 17 joint UN projects developed in the framework of the UN Darfur Fund for meeting immediate priorities of the Darfur Development Strategy. Coordinated in close collaboration with the Government of Sudan and the Darfur Regional Authority, the projects will pave the way for longer term recovery and development in Darfur.