Conflict prevention agreement between Farmers from Vakaga in the Central African Republic and herders from South Darfur

• Country/entity

  Central African Republic
  Sudan
  
• Region

  Africa (excl MENA)
  Africa (excl MENA)
  
• Agreement name

  Conflict prevention agreement between Farmers from Vakaga in the Central African Republic and herders from South Darfur
• Date

  11 Jun 2019
• Agreement status

  Multiparty signed/agreed
• Interim arrangement

  Yes
• Agreement/conflict level

  Intrastate/local conflict ( Central African Republic Conflicts (1996 - ) )
• Stage

  Framework/substantive - partial
• Conflict nature

  Inter-group
• Peace process

  CAR - Sudan: local cross-border agreements
• Parties

  Page 5:
  For the Central African party:
  Bakhit Karama
  [second person may have been present and signed, but no name noted in original]
  
  For the Sudanese party:
  Almahadi Tidjani Younis Din
  Hamit Babikir
• Third parties

  Page 1, Preamble :
  [...]
  Gathered in Birao as part of the dialogue initiated by the Henry Dunant Center for Humanitarian Dialogue (HD) to support the stabilization efforts undertaken by the Central African Government, with the support of the international community, throughout the national territory including Vakaga
  
  Page 6:
  Witnesses (RCA):
  1. Leonard Mbele, Prefect of Vakaga
  2. Hamat Moustapha, Sultan Mayor of Birao
  
  Witnesses (Sudan):
  1. Mahmour Abudahaba, Consul General of Sudan in Birao
  2. Abdoulkarim Younis Din, Mayor of Amdafock in Sudan
• Description

  The farmers and herders from the Vakaga (CAR) and South Darfur (Sudan), with mediation by HD - Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue, agree to form a joint committee which is to assist in peaceful and cooperative resolution of conflicts arising from the use of land for farming and herding/breeding cattle.

• Agreement document

  CF_SD_190611_Conflict prevention agreement between Farmers from Vakaga in the Central African Republic and herders from South Darfur in Sudan_tr.pdf | Download PDF
• Agreement document (original language)

  CF_190611_Conflict prevention agreement between Farmers from Vakaga in the Central African Republic and herders from South Darfur in Sudan.pdf | Download PDF

Local agreement properties

• Process type

  Isolated example
  
• Rationale

  While there have been negotiations in the Central African Republic concerning the internal conflicts, this agreement deals specifically with the cross-border issues present in Vakaga, related to movements of herders from Sudan.
• Is there a documented link to a national peace process?

  Yes
• Link to national process: articulated rationale

  While the agreement itself is an exceptional example of cross-border negotiations on local conflict issues, the document is framed as "part of the dialogue initiated by the Henry Dunant Center for Humanitarian Dialogue (HD) to support the stabilization efforts undertaken by the Central African Government, with the support of the international community, throughout the national territory including Vakaga" (page 1 of the agreement, Preamble).
• Name of Locale

  Vakaga
• Nature Of Locale

  Region
• GPS Lat/Long (DD)

  10.296251, 22.781412
• Participant type

  Local state actor
  Local community/civilian group(s)/civil society organisations
  Regional state actor
  
• Mediator, facilitator or similar

  Mediator or similar referred to
  Mediator (references)

  The HD - Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue is an international non-governmental organization which mediated and convened the negotiations. The HD website also notes EU funding for their work in CAR.
  Type of mediator/facilitator/similar

  International or transnational actor

Local issues

Conflict Prevention Agreement between the Vakaga Farmers in the Central African Republic and the Breeders of South Darfur in Sudan

Preamble

We, the Farmers of the Vakaga region in the Central African Republic (CAR) and Breeders of the South Darfur region of Sudan, hereinafter called "the parties";

Considering that our main activities in the two cross-border regions are agriculture and livestock;

Considering that the increase in pastoral pressure, following the droughts of the 1970s and 1980s, pushed Sudanese breeders to come to the northeast of the Central African Republic where the availability of resources remains very important;

Considering that tensions have always existed between our communities concerning the management of natural resources;

Considering that these tensions lead to the regular occurrence of deadly conflicts between our communities;

Aware that these conflicts can fuel the security crisis between our two borders;

Knowing that violence does not resolve conflicts and that we should stop reprisals following the theft of animals or destruction of fields;

Gathered in Birao as part of the dialogue initiated by the Henry Dunant Center for Humanitarian Dialogue (HD) to support the stabilization efforts undertaken by the Central African Government, with the support of the international community, throughout the national territory including Vakaga ;

Agree to the following:

Article 1:

The Parties hereby agree to implement the provisions of this agreement in full and in good faith, recognizing their primary responsibility in this regard.

Chapter I:

Causes and consequences of tensions

Article 2:

The parties agree that the inter-communal tensions observed in the region result from the following elements:

a) Non-compliance with transhumance routes by both parties;

b) Field damage caused by animals of breeders;

c) Theft of oxen;

d) Failure to respect farming areas;

e) Systematic cutting down of shea trees;

f) The extended stays of transhumance parties;

g) Collective attacks on villages and camps;

Article 3:

The parties agree that these tensions also have the following consequences:

a) The death of human beings;

b) The burning of villages;

c) The displacement of populations;

d) Restrictions on access to cultivable land;

e) Social instability;

f) The rapid degradation of biodiversity;

g) Increase in the poverty of the population.

Chapter II:

Commitments of the Parties

Article 4

The parties jointly commit to:

• Condemning any act of violence committed by one of the members of their community;

• Investing fully alongside all the authorities in the negotiated management of conflicts related to access to natural resources;

• Referring to the competent authorities of the Central African Republic and Sudan in the event of threats or attacks;

• Seeking peaceful solutions to our differences through an amicable settlement without resorting to armed groups or armed militias close to our community;

• Raising awareness amongst communities;

• Encouraging communities to commit themselves to peace and social cohesion;

• Opposing the theft of livestock regardless of the owner's community and facilitate the search for stolen property and animals so that they can be returned to their owners;

• Regularly monitoring the implementation of this agreement and report on it regularly to the communities.

Article 5:

In addition, the breeder community commits to:

• Respecting the routes established for the passage of animals;

• Not allowing animals to graze in the fields;

• Paying the costs of any damage caused by animals to the fields according to the local economy;

• Renouncing armed threats or the use of weapons in the event of an altercation;

• Introducing any new arrivals to the village chiefs.

Article 6:

In addition, the farming community commits to:

• Not putting fields on the transhumance routes;

• Not imposing exorbitant charges in the event of damage to fields.

Chapter III:

Recommendations addressed to the States

Article 7:

The parties call on the Central African and Sudanese states to support their pacification efforts for the benefit of peaceful inter-communal coexistence.

More specifically, the parties request:

• The Prefects of Vakaga in CAR and the Governor of South Darfur in Sudan, to continue their actions in favor of peaceful coexistence and endogenous security initiatives along the long border;

• The Central African State to accelerate the implementation of the Disarmament, Demobilization, Reintegration, and Repatriation (DDRR) process of armed groups;

• To the Sudanese State to restore peace and security in the country and to disarm the armed militias;

• To both states to strengthen the legitimacy of local traditional and religious authorities so that they are able, as in the past, to work to prevent and manage tensions and conflicts in an impartial manner.

Chapter V:

Implementation monitoring

Article 8:

The Parties undertake to meet at least once during the first year following the signing of this Agreement in order to take stock of the implementation of the Agreement and, if necessary, renew and adjust the commitments.

Article 9:

The Joint Committee will have the following mission:

• Share with the authorities of Vakaga (CAR) and South Darfur (Sudan) this Agreement so that they support its implementation, its appropriation by the communities and therefore strengthen its scope;

• Make a regular point at each beginning and end of the transhumance season with the parties to ensure the implementation of the commitments made under this agreement and to strengthen its scope;

• Prevent and manage disputes between the parties that may lead to non-compliance with this agreement.

Chapter VI:

Dispute management

Article 10:

The parties will do everything in their power to settle amicably and by negotiation any dispute arising between them, in the spirit of cooperation and friendship which underlies this peace agreement.

Article 11:

In the event of a breach of the application of this Agreement or in the event of a dispute relating to its interpretation, the Parties will refer the matter to the Monitoring Committee so that a consensual solution is identified and applied.

In the event of breaches, the parties commit to consulting the authorities of the two border regions.

Chapter VII:

Terms and conditions

Article 12:

In the event of a serious breach of the application of this Agreement, and of a failure of all attempts at negotiation to remedy it, the Parties may terminate this Agreement.

Such termination will take effect on a specified termination date.

In this case, the parties will take all necessary measures to minimize the impact of such a decision on the pacification efforts already undertaken under the same agreement.

Article 13:

This Agreement shall enter into force from the date of its signature by the Parties.

Done in Birao, on June 11, 2019

For the Central African party:

For the Sudanese party:

Witnesses (RCA):

1. Prefect of Vakaga

2. Sultan Mayor of Birao

Witnesses (Sudan):

1. Consul General of Sudan in Birao

2. Mayor of Amdafock in Sudan