Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR)

Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR) is an integral part of CPA. Donors' pledged to funding the programme are now being realized. The programme has received $6.88 million from the Japanese Government, $3.8 million from the United Kingdom 500,000 Canadian dollars from the Canadian Government and $1.5 million from UNDP Bureau for Conflict Prevention and Resolution (BCPR).

In addition, a contribution of $12.7 million from the UN assessed budget has been approved. The Northern Sudan DDR Interim Authority has established regional offices in Kassala, Ed-Damazin, Port Sudan and Khartoum.

The Southern Sudan DDR Interim Authority has also established an office in Rumbek and has just been allocated a building for the South DDR HQ in Juba by the Government of Southern Sudan. Towards the implementation of the programme, surveys and registration of disabled ex-combatants and women associated with the armed forces are being carried out, and removal of child soldiers from the SPLA is expected to commence.

On 23 November 2007 the Southern Sudan Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration Commission, registered more than twenty one thousand soldiers for disarmament. The director general of the commission said the registration process started with the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) combatants. He added that the registrations took place in south Sudan, the Nuba Mountains, the Southern Blue Nile and Abyei.

On 02 February 2008 in an exclusive interview with Miraya President of the Government of Southern Sudan Lt Gen. Salva Kiir Mayardit spoke about disarmament programme in the South, where he said "I've asked the governors of the border-states to make arrangements for the entry of tribes to southern Sudan without any obstacles. And while we are still working on the disarmament of citizens in the south, in which we have succeeded in some states, we can not allow the Misseriya and other tribes to enter southern Sudan with their arms as they insisted".

On 02 August 2008, the Minister of Presidential Affairs in the Government of National Unity and Chairman of the National Council for Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration DDR, decided to coordinate DDR programs in South Kurdofan, Blue Nile and Abyei, along with establishing a joint office between the DDR commissions in the north and south.