1. On 19 October 2011, the Joint Special Representative (JSR) of the African Union – United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID) and Joint Chief Mediator ad interim (JCM a.i.), Mr. Ibrahim Gambari, convened in El Geneina the fourth retreat of the Special Envoys for Darfur. Eighteen representatives, including from the European Union and African Union participated in the retreat.

2. Building on the discussions during the earlier Retreats held respectively in Kigali and El Fasher in February and
July 2010 and in Nyala in February 2011, the purpose of the Retreat was to take stock of recent developments in Darfur, as well as, to review the status of the peace process and discuss the way forward. The meeting also aimed at further advancing the coordination and engagement of the international community in support of peace and stability in Darfur, ncluding through measures of early recovery and development.

3. Participants welcomed the signing on 14 July 2011of the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur (DDPD) between the Government of Sudan (GoS) and the Liberation and Justice Movement (LJM) as an important step in advancing peace in Darfur. They took note of the progress achieved in the implementation of the agreement, including the holding of the first meeting of the Implementation Follow-up Committee (IFC) in Doha on 11 September 2011 under the chairmanship of Qatar. They also noted the work to date of the Ceasefire Commission (CFC), the appointments of Dr. Al-Haj Adam Youssef, as Second Vice President of Sudan and Mr. Tijani Seisei, Chairperson of LJM, as the Head of the Darfur Regional Authority. The participants urged the parties to remain committed to the timely and faithful implementation of the provisions of the DDPD and for all non-signatory movements to join the political process in earnest. Noting that the successful implementation of the DDPD would have a positive impact on the peace process and the stabilization of Darfur, international partners were encouraged to consider further contributions to the Trust Fund for
Lasting Peace in Darfur to support the implementation of the DDPD.

4. The participants commended the ongoing efforts of the Mediation to engage the non-signatory movements and to
encourage them to commit to the peace process. They noted with grave concern the continued belligerent postures taken by the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), Sudan Liberation Army (SLA)-Abdul Wahid and SLA-Minni Minawi and stressed that prevailing rhetoric of regime change is unhelpful to the peace process. They reiterated their call upon all parties to cease military hostilities and for the non-signatory movements to pursue a negotiated solution to the Darfur conflict, to state their political demands clearly and to relate them to the DDPD. They also urged the Government of Sudan and LJM to remain flexible and to continue to work for a comprehensive and inclusive peace in Darfur.
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5. The participants expressed serious concern at the risks posed by continued insecurity and banditry in some parts of
Darfur. They strongly condemned the recent attacks against UNAMID patrols, including the incidents of 10 October near Zam Zam IDP camp in North Darfur, 5 August near Duma village in South Darfur and 22 July between Ardamata and Dorti IDP camps in West Darfur. They expressed their deepest condolences to the families, friends and colleagues of the UNAMID peacekeepers killed in these attacks. They also condemned the abduction on 14 August of an INGO staff member in Nyala and the Turkish nationals, who to date remains in captivity. They reiterated their call on the Government of Sudan to undertake all necessary steps to release those in captivity, curb in general banditry and criminality and to bring the perpetrators of such heinous crimes to justice. Impunity in Darfur should not be allowed to prevail.

6. The participants commended the ongoing consultations between the United Nations and the African Union towards the establishment of a roadmap for peace in Darfur. They recognized the need for the international community to increase efforts for a concerted strategy to bring together the various elements and initiatives to advance peace in Darfur. They stressed that the roadmap should provide a framework for a fully-inclusive peace process which is informed by the views of all stakeholders as well as the national context. They agreed that the roadmap should adopt a three-pronged approach: i) support the implementation of the DDPD; ii) sustained engagement with the hold-out movements; and iii) support, in principle, an early internal dialogue among the people of Darfur on the peace process.

7. The participants recognized the need for continued strong humanitarian engagement in Darfur. At the same time, they highlighted the importance of progress towards durable and sustainable solutions. They stressed the nexus between peace and development and noted the need to advance initiatives to increase self-sufficiency within communities while assisting them in building sustainable livelihoods. They emphasized the importance of consolidating and promoting early recovery and development initiatives, where security conditions permit, through a community based approach, which is informed by local conditions and dynamics. In this regard, they welcome the measures taken by UNAMID, the UN Country Team, as well as donors to address the particular needs of nomads and other pastoralist communities. The participants also agreed on the need to support voluntary returns and resettlement of IDPs and refugees, thereby contributing to a gradual normalization of the situation of these communities. They also noted the need to adjust programming to take account of the reality of urbanization, in addition to recognizing the importance of access by INGOs and their donor representatives to the early recovery and development project sites they fund.

8. The participants highlighted the key role UNAMID is playing in supporting implementation of the DDPD. They commended UNAMID for the robust posture of its military and police. They also requested UNAMID to continue its efforts to enhance its early warning capacities. In this regard, the participants reiterated the responsibility of all parties to the conflict to grant UNAMID and the humanitarian community unrestricted freedom of movement and access to civilian populations to enable them to fulfill their obligations and provide assistance in an impartial and timely manner. Participants expressed concern about the recent rhetoric directed at the Mission and urged the Government of Sudan to continue to take all necessary steps to facilitate UNAMID’s ability to carry out its mandate effectively.

9. The participants welcomed the initiative of convening this Fourth Retreat and agreed that there should be a follow-up
to its conclusions.