25 June 2009 -- Today, the African Union Panel on Darfur (AUPD), chaired by former South African President Thabo Mbeki and including former Burundian President Pierre Buyoya, former Nigerian President Abdulsalami Abubakar, other African dignitaries, concluded its third mission to Sudan.

During the past 10 days, the AUPD held public hearings on the Darfur conflict to determine how best to expedite the peace process to urgently create conditions to promote justice, healing, and reconciliation in Darfur. The Panel met with Sudan political parties, civil society representatives, rebel movements, Arab nomads, native administrators, tribal leaders, internally displaced persons (IDP), women, youth, and others in Khartoum; En Siro, North Darfur; El Fasher, North Darfur; Nyala, South Darfur; El Geneina and Zalingei, West Darfur.

The AUPD will conduct several additional hearings and consultations and draft recommendations to be presented to the AU before making them available to the public.

* * * * *