Protecting civilians through peace agreements: Challenges and lessons of the Darfur Peace Agreement

In this paper, the author discusses the Darfur peace processes and examines whether they sufficiently provide, if at all, for protection of civilians

In this paper, the author discusses the Darfur peace processes and examines whether they sufficiently provide, if at all, for protection of civilians. Through a general discussion of peace processes in Africa, but with particular focus on Darfur, the author responds to the question why some peace processes succeed and others don¹t and more particularly, why some peace processes create conditions for the effective protection of civilians whilst others do not. In part, the author suggests that how peace talks are managed, and in particular their foundation on effective security arrangements is key in this regard.

About the author

Jeremy Brickhill served in Zimbabwe’s liberation war as an officer in Joshua Nkomo’s Zimbabwe African People’s Union/Army (ZAPU/A) and has a broad range of experience in conflict and post-conflict processes in Africa. He led the Zimbabwean advisory team which supported Somaliland’s successful disarmament and militia integration (1992-1994) and has worked for the UN as a programme manager and an advisor.

From 2003 to 2006 he served as an advisor to the government of Sudan and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army (SPLM/A) and as the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) special envoy for Sudan during the negotiation of the comprehensive peace agreement in Sudan. In 2006 he was posted as an advisor to the AU mediation team at the Darfur peace talks in Abuja. Currently he is the senior advisor for security sector planning for the European Commission in Somalia. He is an active participant in the Global Facilitation Network for Security Sector Reform and the African Security Sector Network.