In the weeks just before the agreement was signed, SLM-Minawi expressed optimism about the potential for success in the negotiations and was prepared to come to agreement despite some clauses that were not quite what the group would have preferred.  SLM-Abdelwahid, however, was skeptical about security issues involving the timetable for the disarmament of the pro-government Janjaweed militia and their own forces.  The Abdelwahid faction has split over the refusal to sign the peace agreement.

JEM expressed concern over revenue sharing, infrastructure and services for the Darfur region, and demanded that a Darfur representative be appointed as the country’s third vice-president.  The two current vice-presidents are divided between the ruling National Congress Party and the Sudanese Peoples Liberation Movement (SPLM).

“No doubt, there is more to do to achieve the lasting peace we hope for, but by building on this agreement I hope that we can ensure that the millions of refugees and IDP’s (internally displaced persons) can safely return to their homes,” Smith said. 

The Darfur peace accord calls for the Janjaweed to be disarmed and rebel fighters to be incorporated into the Sudanese army.  The agreement also calls for compensation for the nearly two million displaced persons in Darfur and establishes a regional representative (with the authority of a Vice President but not the title).  Finally, the three Darfur provinces would be combined into one province under popular rule, if approved in a referendum.

“No matter how positive an agreement may sound for Darfur, we must continue to be vigilant concerning its implementation,” Smith said, pointing out that the Comprehensive Peace Agreement remains to be fully implemented.  Smith called for United Nations involvement to help guarantee the implementation of both peace accords in Sudan.