Jan Eliasson, UN Special Envoy to Darfur, was cautiously optimistic about the prospects for a political settlement in Darfur despite continuous challenges in his negotiations which include issues of power and wealth sharing, security, regional tensions, and Chinese interests in Sudan.  In a discussion moderated by Thomas R. Pickering, former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations and Atlantic Council director, Eliasson explained the challenges of negotiating a settlement with a large group of divergent parties. 

Ambassador Eliasson outlined three key issues that must be addressed in order to end the fighting; power sharing, wealth sharing and security.  Without a proper division of power between all parties, a clear means of distributing oil revenues and without the necessary security to stabilize the region,  prospects for a lasting peace will remain fleeting, he explained.  "In order to have peacekeeping, there must be a peace to keep,” he noted.  Lack of trust in the  recently signed Darfur Peace Agreement and the African Union troops responsible for certifying disarmament further compound the situation. Ambassador Eliasson emphasized the necessary reconciliation between the northern and southern regions of Sudan as well as a general agreement by the Sudanese government on finding a political solution.  He highlighted the complexity of the regional issues, pointing to Sudan’s neighbors, Chad and Libya, and citing the need to stabilize relations and focus on common interests. Regarding the international community,

Eliasson reiterated the need for the permanent members of the UN Security Council to agree on a unified position regarding the crisis in Darfur.  Asked about China’s role in the peacemaking process, Ambassador Eliasson praised the growing involvement of Beijing, noting that it had pressured the Sudanese government to allow 3,000 UN peacekeepers to enter Darfur and establish a basis for 17,000 to follow. Overall, Mr. Eliasson called the relationship between China and the international community “growingly cooperative,” but did not deny the fact that China’s strong economic interest in the country still remained, adding to the complexity. 

Ambassador Eliasson underlined the importance of strong US-European cooperation, capable of giving the peace-process a significant, accelerating push in the right direction, adding that the US government could achieve progress by way of bilateral negotiations with Sudan as well as a commitment to establishing a united front within the international community. Eliasson referred to the role of the United States again when asked about the effectiveness of sanctions, describing the use of sanctions as “sobering,” but explaining that “you can’t just make empty threats,” suggesting that sanctions depend on factors such as timing, precision, and political will.  

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Press Coverage

International Herald Tribune
U.N. envoy says Chinese pressure on Sudan led to agreement on stronger peacekeeping force

Reuters UK
 U.N. says U.S. delay on Sudan sanctions was help