Darfur summit opens in Libya
A two-day mini-summit on Sudan’s Western Darfur province has opened in the Libyan capital Tripoli.
The summit on Darfur will focus on the consequences of the UN resolution on bringing to justice people suspected of war crimes in the Darfur region.
Heads of state from Egypt, Chad, Eritrea, Nigeria and Sudan are taking part in the summit convened by Libyan Leader, Muammar al-Qadhafi, which also includes officials from the African Union (AU), charged with observing a shaky April 2004 ceasefire.
Rebels have however chosen not to attend.
Sudanese Foreign Minister Mustafa Usman Ismail said he hoped the summit “will be the occasion to confirm our commitment to maintaining a ceasefire and respecting our agreements with rebels”.
“We hope that a calendar will be decided for a resumption of negotiations that will lead to a political solution,” Ismail said.
“If the summit is a success, we will be able to draw a new political map according to which people from Darfur will enjoy political participation and the country’s wealth,” he added.